Runaway
by almostyourangel
Summary: Sailor Venus is injured by a wayward Tiara and Mamoru's been caught with Jessica. Both are terrible mistakes, but what about Usagi?
1. Prologue

'Kay, guys, I decided to do Runaway…Make it better, undo the damage I did with the dub names, etc! ^_~ I wanted to make every other chapter in an alternate story where Usagi hooked up with Seiya in New York, but I decided that would be too confusing. I'm going to write it, though, so watch for that, too. I also want to start a Seiya + Usagi fic for Titanic.. Mamoru=Cal. Gomen!!!! I still love him like crazy, but I recently discovered Seiya... *Drools* Anyway, Cheebz!  
  
*Chibi Angel comes bouncing forward, as usual.*  
  
Don't own Sailor Moon,  
  
And 300 reviews prove you can't sue!  
  
*Shrugs* 'Sides, I'm a minor Angel,  
  
So whatcha gonna do? *Cracks gum, curtsies, and sits down*  
  
*Angel coughs, as usual.* Am I the only one who noticed a rather... $@#!in huge difference in C-A since she first started out? Anyway...  
  
1 Runaway  
  
2 Prologue  
  
  
  
"Mamo-chan, *please*!" sobbed Tsukino Usagi. He looked down at her, his once familiar face now cold and impassive.  
  
"Get off your goddamn knees, Usak--Usagi-san." He snapped icily. "You look pathetic. You're not fourteen anymore, Usagi. You're eighteen years old and therefore officially an adult. (AN: *Angel coughs and blushes* Gomen, I live in Canada…You can drink and all that junk here when you're eighteen, and, ya…) It's time you started acting like it."  
  
Usagi fought desperately to gain control over her rampaging emotions--and failed miserably.  
  
"Onegai, Mamo-chan..." She whispered, her long legs physically unable to stand on their own. Chiba Mamoru gripped her arm and yanked her to her feet with all the grace and sensitivity of, oh, say... A caveman.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself!" He hissed. "Everyone is staring." He shook her, hard, released her arm from his biting grip, and then all but flung her to the sidewalk.  
  
"Let them stare," Usagi wailed, well beyond the point of caring what the passerbyers thought. "Please, Mamo-chan, I want to be with you!" He visibly flinched, but thankfully Usagi's head was down. He knelt, seized her chin with a savagery that tore at him, forced her chin up, and brought her tearstained face close to his.  
  
"Listen to me. Do you see that girl over there on my bike?" Usagi nodded without following the direction of his outstretched finger; she'd noticed and wondered about the girl the second Mamoru had pulled up on his Harley.  
  
"That's Jessica…Isn't she beautiful?" He added almost dreamily, and she had to agree. With the girl's long blonde hair, tiny waist, and overly generous curves, she was nothing short of stunning. Vaguely Usagi wondered why Mamoru was droning on about her, but nothing she'd even considered imagining could have prepared her in the slightest for what he said next—the words tore at her and left her clutching her chest in horror and pain:  
  
"She's…My…New…Girlfriend." The words reverberated in her head, each echo like a physical blow. On some level, Usagi realized Mamoru was talking.  
  
"…Got what I wanted from you…No more use for you…I'm going to be with Sieka- chan now…" The sentences slid in and out of her consciousness. As black dots danced before her blue eyes, only one thought stuck out. He already gave her a nickname…it took him awhile to call me Usako… For some reason, that particular thought seemed tremendously funny to her.  
  
"…Goodbye…" She sat up and leaned against the brick gate, pain lacing through her as she watched Mamoru's broad back moving away from her; towards his bike. Once he reached it he bent over "Jessica" and greeted her with a kiss that seemed to last an eternity. Calm, peaceful black stole over her and she sunk into it gratefully. As the engine of a '96 Harley Davidson revved to life and took off down the street, Usagi's lips parted to form a single word: "Mamo-chan…"  
  
…And then everything went black.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ugh, Mamoru-san," Jessica complained, wiping her perfectly shaped mouth with the back of a well-manicured hand. "Why the hell did you kiss me? When I agreed to pretend to be your new girlfriend or whatever, no kissing was discussed!"  
  
"Be quiet, Jess," he snapped automatically, keeping his pained blue eyes on the road ahead. "I'll give you extra yen for putting up with the hardship of kissing me." When he'd hired—well, begged was really more accurate—Motoki's mad-sexy cousin, visiting from California, he had not planned on kissing her. But now Usagi's assured hatred would be a done deal…She'd never take him back now. Mamoru's heart constricted with pain before he hardened it against the memory of Usagi's soft blonde hair and china blue eyes. He had to remind himself that it was for her own good. He didn't know what his troubling recurring dream meant, but he knew for sure he'd never chance Usagi's health and well-being. And with that in mind, Mamoru drove off into the sunset.  
  
With any luck, he'd never lay eyes on Usako—USAGI—again. 


	2. The Letter That Ended it All

Hi! *Has returned yet again to redo another chapter* Okay, I know that this whole storyline has been _furiously _overdone. But I wrote one of the first ones, I swear to God I did! ^^; Ask my darling Aqua Princess, she called it a pioneer fic. ^_^ I love you! But anyway, I hope you like it! *Hugs Chibi-Angel, both of us gazing at whomever you may be pleadingly*

Chapter One  
The Letter That Ended It All...  
Or is it Just Beginning?  
  
Usagi flung various articles of clothing into her partially full suitcase hurriedly, her moonlight blue eyes sparkling with tears. She told herself she should be angry; she should be _raging_. And yet all she felt was pain and regret.

"I don't care," she informed herself with passionate fury she wasn't even close to feeling. "I don't need him…And I don't need the Senshi, either."  
  
~*_Flashback*~_   
  
"How could you, Sailor Moon?" Mars hissed up at her as she held the other fallen blonde in her arms. "How could you hurt Venus?"

  
Usagi backed away, her hands pressed to her dramatically paled cheeks. "I didn't!" she gasped, horrified at the suggestion. "I mean, I didn't-I didn't mean to-I just--The tiara-and the youma dodged-and it-it hit-Minako-chan! It was an accident--It-it was!" she screamed when she saw how the other scouts were looking at her—excluding the unconscious Minako.  
  


""How _could _you?" Sailor Mars hissed up at her as she cradled the unconscious Minako in her arms. "How could you hurt Venus?"

"_What_?" Usagi blurted, horrified, backing away with her palms pressed to her dramatically paled cheeks. "I _didn't_! How could 

you even—?!" 

"We all saw you fling the tiara at her!"

"I d—didn't!" The blonde insisted, pulling her hands away from her face and immediately seizing fistfuls of her long golden hair. She tugged at it, unable to keep her hands still, blue eyes huge in her horrified face. "I mean—I didn't—I didn't mean to—I just—the tiara—and the youma dodged—and it-it hit-Minako-chan!" She couldn't control the way the words tumbled out, faster and faster as though they were crushing her lungs more with every passing second. Tears were starting to streak down her face quickly, zigzagging across her smooth ivory cheeks. Every time the shaken teenager went to brush them away, fresh ones coursed down instantly. "It was an accident…" She finally murmured, followed by an abrupt scream when she saw how the Senshi were looking at her. "It-it _was_! Oh my God…Oh my God… You think I did this on purpose." The words came out on a moan as she fell to her knees, staring at the muddy ground in silent agony. 

"Sailor Moon—Usagi…" Makoto said stiffly, and it was confusing, and painful, to hear the usually overly cheerful cook sound like that. "We-we can't—Usagi, you're out."

  
"_What_?" Usagi choked out in horror, salty tears slipping into her mouth. "But-you can't do that! I'm the leader!"  
  


"We're so sorry, Usagi-chan... But once you start hurting us..." Ami murmured, looking ready to cry at the confrontation alone.

Usagi  looked desperately in their familiar faces for a trace of friendliness, searching desperately for the warmth she knew flickered within. But all the girls stared back at her with bitter iciness. 

  
"You can't-!" She turned and ran down the street, her loud sobs echoing back to them. Usagi was a crybaby…But none of them had ever heard her cry like that.

  
Sailor Chibi Moon shivered. "Maybe we shouldn't have…?"  
  
~*_End Flashback*~_  
  
_They hurt me…_Usagi recognized with burning grief. She seized her suitcase, left Chibi Usa a note on the stairs leading to her attic bedroom, and fled the house—forever.  
  
~*~*~*~

  
"Senshi! Come over to the house, now!" Chibi Usa's voice crackled franticly through four communicators, accompanied by a wave of static. Frightened by the desperateness in the small girl's voice, less then fifteen minutes later the inner Senshi were all accounted for—except for Usagi, of course. All were a little nervous, although no one had the vaguest idea why.   
  


They all noticed the tears brimming in Chibi Usa's eyes at the same time. Large, clear rubies of eyes that were painfully similar to Usagi's, despite the variations in color.  
   
"What's wrong, Chibi Usa-chan?" Minako inquired gently, cradling the broken arm Sailor Moon's tiara had resulted in. 

  
But Chibi Usa held up a small hand.   
  


"No, we have to wait." She answered, and it could have been Ami's imagination, but she was sure she saw a glare buried in the cheerful depths of red. "We have to wait for Mamoru." Lost in impatience and worry, no one seemed to notice that for the first time since she'd came, Chibi Usa didn't call him Mamo-chan. Luckily, he himself burst through the door at that very second.

  
"Okay, Chibi Usa, tell us." Raye commanded quietly. She knew something was wrong—you didn't need to be a priestess to tell that-but she could tell it was worse that the other scouts suspected.

  
The pink-haired girl held up a letter. "Mamoru…Why don't _you _read it?" It seemed as though there was a bit of malicious intent lurking behind her sugary sweet tone, but surely that couldn't be. Chibi Usa would _never_ want to hurt Mamoru. She was every bit as loyal to him…as Mamoru was to Usagi.

  
Mamoru stared at her for a moment, trying to decipher her tone, but eventually took the several sheets and began to read them aloud.   
  
"Dear Scouts, Chibi Usa-chan… and Mamoru.  
Yo

You have all made it very clear to me that I am not wanted here. Please don't worry… I don't blame you.

I definitely have not been the best friend. Nor have I taken or done my responsibilities as leader and disguised mother as responsibly as I now see I should have. As well, it has to come to my attention that apparently I've been a horrible girlfriend.

As stated, I don't blame you, and so please don't let _you_ blame you. I still love you all very much…But you've all hurt me deeply. Because of this, I doubt that I will ever return.  
  
"To Mamoru:

  
I tried to be the best girlfriend I could, honestly, I did. I read the magazine articles and did what they said, I saw you often because friends told me avoiding you would be losing you, and I hung on every word you said. Just like the magazine articles said a man likes about a girl. But as usual, I failed miserably." At this point Mamoru's voice broke, cracking slightly, but he looked at Chibi Usa and frowned, then continued reading. 

"It seems that I've failed all I've tried to do. I don't blame you for dumping me and going out with that gorgeous girl. She'll love you better than I ever could…Even if we _were _destined to be together..." 

It seemed to Minako that Usagi's daughter looked distinctly pleased with herself as little by little Mamoru's face crumpled, and by the sounds of this letter, she was beginning to understand why. Usagi and Chibi Usa didn't always get along—in fact, they _never _got along—but when it all came down to it, the two were fiercely loyal to each other above all else.  
  
"To Minako."  And here the present blonde straightened and listened carefully.

  
"You were my best friend, Minako… I'm so, so sorry-I truly never meant to hurt you. That stupid youma moved and I accidentally hit my best friend. It hurt _me_, Minako-chan. But I love you-even though it was because of me hitting you that the whole   
 thing started. Again-I'm sorry. So sorry. But I didn't teach myself to be like this, did I? No, it must have been some of my so-called—excuse me, my friends...^_^; Clumsy me, the pen slipped." 

Minako's mouth dropped open.  
  
"To Rei:

  
I know that you never meant to cause me any pain. Don't worry, I understand that it was all intended as a joke. I'm sorry I was so mean to you so many times. You know it was all a joke, right? I'm sure you do. Don't blame yourself, pyro. You didn't chase me away-even if you did contribute to the factor in the end. I'm sure you didn't mean it-right? Well, maybe you did. I am a whiny crybaby and I didn't deserve such supposedly great friends..."

Rei's eyes lowered, and a tear slipped unchecked over her cheek. What had they done to Usagi? She sounded so different in this horrible letter…  
  
"To Makoto:

  
Well, what can I say? Never blame yourself. You had nothing to do with me leaving--even if you were the one who kicked me out of the scouts...  
You're a-ahem-great friend, Mako-chan. Really. Honest, I'm not just saying that..."

Makoto's teeth gritted and she punched the wall, though her eyes looked suspiciously shiny as well.  
  
"Ami-

  
Oh, Ames. Sure, you're the one who implied that I _tried_ to hurt Minako-chan, but still... Oh, don't worry. I'm positive-okay, almost positive-that you didn't mean a word of it. I mean, you were probably just worried about your friend...  
I guess...  
  
"Chibi Usa…"

 Thank you so much for trying to stand up for me after I left. I'm sorry for leaving you alone, especially with—well, never mind that. I'm sorry, Mesume-chan…I'm just an idiot. God…Please, _please _don't forget me. I promise when we meet again—and we will, because I can't stand the thought of you growing up with—_er…_Anyway, we'll have ice cream together, I promise. My beautiful little daughter…Please wait for me? There are so many memories. Can you forgive me for taking off? I have to save me from myself.   
  


Please forgive me… Trust me, I'll be fine

Ai shiteru.  
  


"Mamoru…

  
I know I've written to you already in this letter, but I have more to say. Stop reading this outloud-Damn, how'd she do that?"

   
The other scouts shrugged. He looked back down and started to read silently.  
  


_Stop asking the other scouts how I did that, Mamoru, and start reading._  
  


He looked up incredulously, finally mumbling in a flat tone. "She's incredible..." 

  
_Mamoru_! _What did I just say? Stop talking and start reading. _

He shook his head and read on.

  
_You were always my first love, Mamoru. I loved you with all of my heart, and I think-no, I know that I always will. I hope you will be as happy with Jessica as I was with you.._

_.  
I know that I will never love again, but I don't mind. The year I spent with you was enough to last a lifetime for me. I shouldn't love you anymore-hell, I should _hate_ you. You hurt me so deeply, Mamoru.. The words you said will   
forever be buried in me, sharp slivers of glass that will still hurt thousands of years from now, when I am Neo-Queen Serenity. Poetic, isn't it? I always wanted to be._

_But anyway…As I was saying, my heart aches not for me, but for Chibi Usa. Okay, so it aches for me, too. A lot. But still. Because  
of you, she will no longer have the chance to live. She'll simply cease to exist and I'll spend my long lifetime longing for you and my only daughter. Think about it, Mamoru. Just because you don't love me any longer, you have taken an innocent's life.  
But I don't blame you. I could never blame you, Mamoru, because much as it hurts, I still love you.   
  
_

_Now, start reading aloud again.  
  
_

He obeyed._  
  
_

_"_Scouts, Chibi Usa, and...Mamoru, I'm gone. I won't ever return unless desperately needed. Maybe you'll be sorry, and maybe you'll wish you could take it back, but I am gone. Move on, I have no use for any of you anymore. Sound familiar, Mamoru?

   
Remember, my friends, my daughter, and my love--ex-love. This is how you wanted it-exactly how you wanted it. It's your fault. I'm not being judgmental-I love you all dearly and wish you no pain. But so be it.  
  


Goodbye.

  
Love, forever (and yet never again.)  
Usagi. PKA Serenity.  
  


The letter dropped from Mamoru's head and floated to the floor. Ami bent over and picked it up, skimming her eyes over it, though she couldn't see through the sheen of tears. "Same old Usagi," She managed to choke out fondly. "She's forgotten all her kanji symbols…"

But everyone was focused on Mamoru, who was shouting, his face white. "What the hell does she mean, previously known as Serenity?! What is she _doing_!?"

Please, please, PLEASE review!!


	3. Destiny Takes a Hand

Runaway  
Destiny's Workings  
  
  
  
Don't own Sailor Moon, don't own the New York Hospital and I don't even know   
if it's a real hospital. But you've got to give me snaps for my originality  
with the name, huh? Hey, I'm just adding this is now, but it needs to be done.  
I really have to thank the readers that reviewed my three writings   
(Desperate to be Yours, Dreaming of You, and of course, Runaway). Thanks so   
much to everyone who reviewed over the past two days. I can't tell you how   
much I appreciate it!  
Thanks to Princess Sugar Neptune and Usako for writing such sweet things to   
me about Desperate to be Yours, and Moon Princess, Cibi Usa,   
*~* Moon Rabbit 28 *~*, adb, ttt, Mizz Kitty 9896, ~Sailor *Lunar* Eclipse~,   
and Kiwimelon 42 for emailing me about Dreaming of You and Runaway. Thanks   
again, everyone!  
To the rest of you-review! It makes me write *so* much faster, not to mention  
that it totally makes my day. Thank you! (Could I thank you anymore? *LOL*  
  
  
  
  
In New York, a year later...  
  
Serena took a deep breath, then sat in the hairdresser's chair.   
"Okay, honey," the woman-Katherine-smiled. "What do you want done today, sugar?"  
"I need a drastic hair cut-to my shoulders," began Serena firmly. "And I need  
to dye my hair black." Her voice wavered slightly but remained strong.  
"Oh, but darling!" Katherine frowned. "Your hair is so beautiful, I-"  
"Cut it." Serena's voice was low and deadly.   
  
The sunny woman retreated and started snipping away, now and then casting a   
searching glance at her client's deadly still form.   
  
***  
  
An hour later...  
  
Serena took one last breath and raised her moonlight-blue eyes to her reflection.  
She gasped.   
"Is that...me?" she asked tentatively, reaching up to not quite touch a dark  
strand of ebony hair. Katherine laughed.  
"It's you, honey. You look just gorgeous."   
It was true. The black gave Serena's cheeks a lovely, translucent look and   
made her lips look dark and creamy. It contrasted with her bright, baby blue  
eyes, and the shoulder length cut looked much easier to style then her usual  
odangos.  
"Oh, Katherine!" she gasped, grabbing the older woman and hugging her   
impulsively. "Thank you so much! It's incredible-it's wonderful! I'll be   
sure to recommend you to everyone!" she gushed.  
Katherine laughed again, flicking her longish brown hair over her shoulder.  
"You're welcome, sugar. I'm just happy I could do a good job for you."  
Serena paid and rushed out of the salon, happier then she'd been in ages.  
  
***  
  
"Congratulations, Mr. Shields," an elderly man said to Darien. "I'm pleased   
to say that you've been accepted into the New York Hospital as a doctor. You  
will leave in two months."  
Darien tried to muster some enthusiasm, but he couldn't. Ever since Serena   
had left Tokyo a year ago, he felt like a shell of his normal self. God, how  
he missed her. He often wondered where she was, and if she was even still   
alive. *I'm so *stupid*! How could I have let her go?*  
"Mr. Shields? Mr. Shields---Darien." The same man, name of David, tried to   
get his attention.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, David. I was just--uh, thinking about what a big step this is  
for my career," Darien lied smoothly. *And all because of a few dumb dreams...*  
"Yes," David noted. "I expect it is. Congratulations again, Darien. I'm afraid  
I must go speak to a few of the others-several of your fellow classmates have  
been accepted as well."  
"Thank you for your time, sir," he replied, shaking the older man's hand.   
"Please give them my congratulations."  
*I'm going to New York.* Darien realized for the first time. *It's the chance   
of a lifetime-a chance to start over.*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Discovery

Runaway  
The Discovery   
  
  
In New York, two months later...  
  
Darien blinked as he looked at the massive crowds. He'd always heard that New  
York was busy, but he'd never imagined this. He sighed with relief when he saw  
a Starbucks that, amazingly, looked fairly empty. Walking inside, Darien ordered  
a latte and sat down at a small table. For the millionth time over the last  
year, he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the letter Serena had  
left behind. *Where are you, Sere?* He begged silently. *Don't you know how   
much I miss you? How much I NEED you?*  
  
He finished drinking his coffee and stood to go. When he reached the door, a   
tiny, black-haired girl collided with him.   
"Kami Sama, I'm sorry," the girl apologized profoundly in a slightly sultry   
voice. When she looked up, Darien realized that she was a lot older than he   
had originally thought, probably only a few years younger then him. And hey,  
she'd spoken Japanese. Maybe he knew her from Tokyo. Then she took her dark   
sunglasses off so she could actually see her victim.   
*Serena?* His mind screamed as he saw the crystalline, moonbeam colored eyes   
that he had never managed to forget.   
"Serena!" he croaked.  
  
***  
  
Serena's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Darien Shields, the only man  
she had ever loved, the only man she had ever *hated,* was standing before her  
with a look of incredulity. Hastily, she jammed her shades back on her face  
to cover her eyes. *Maybe he hadn't noticed.*  
"Serena," he choked out. *Okay, maybe he had.*  
"Uh, uh, speak no Englais." Serena stammered. *It's over.*  
A strangely calm voice inside of her said. He had already seen the betraying   
color that had spread across her half-covered face.  
"Stop lying, Sere." Darien whispered, his face ghostly white. He shook his +  
head in shock.   
"Uh, excuse-moi." She faltered, trying desperately to recall the little French  
she had learned. "Je mappelle--Um--Je mappelle...Latrisha!" Serena finally   
said triumphantly. She searched for the right words. "Pardon moi, monsieur,  
demo onegai lassieur moi passer. Gomen nasai."   
*Baka!* She hissed inwardly as she realized that all of her French had been   
mixed in with Japanese. *Kuso.*  
  
***  
Darien tried not to smile. He'd taken French since elementary school-he was,   
in fact, fluent-and it was almost amusing to listen to his Meatball-Head  
destroy the language.  
Serena, noticing by his readable face that she was not fooling him in the   
slightest, used her advantage of his un-expectation to bolt past him and out   
the door.   
"Serena!" Darien shouted. He had finally found her again, there was no way  
he could lose her now. He pushed through the door of the coffeehouse and ran  
out into the street. He looked all around, but couldn't see her anywhere. *Duh.*  
He had been looking for her blonde meatballs-force of habit, he supposed.   
Finally, he caught sight of her short black hair as she flew down the street,  
already too far away to catch. *I'll never let you go again, Sere.* He vowed.   
*I will find you if it's the last thing I ever do-I swear it.*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Can't Take A Hint?

Runaway  
Chapter Four  
Can't Take a Hint?  
  
Finally, Serena sank down onto a bench, breathing heavily. After her crazy   
little Mission Impossible escape, she was seriously tired out. Suddenly, a   
masked man in a tuxedo and a weird yet strangely sexy top hat did one of his  
signature jump-y things and landed right in front of her.  
"My lady," he smiled, handing her a rose.   
She scowled. "Can't you take a hint?"   
"Yes, I understand that when a lady desperately runs off, she is trying to   
escape a man. But I'm sure that even you, my dear, has heard the famous quote,  
'The more a woman runs, the more a man chases.'" He drawled, playing with her  
fingers.  
"Don't touch me!" Serena hissed, snatching her hand from Darien's as though   
she'd been burned. His eyes narrowed.  
"What is it about me, Serena? You're on edge whenever I'm near, though I know  
you love me." He moved closer, looking at her mouth. "Once you were mine,"   
he murmured, retaking her hand. Serena jumped when she saw how he was looking  
at her.  
"No!" she shrieked. "I don't want to remember that, it was over a year   
ago and I've cleared it from my mind."  
"You lie." Darien smiled. He released her hand and stood.  
"Come, Serena."  
"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously, amazed by his audacity.  
"We're going to dinner," he said, quite charmingly.  
"Excuse me?" Serena shrieked in repetition. Okay, if she'd been amazed by his   
daring before, she was now about to pass out.   
*Augh!* She shrieked mentally as black dots began to dance before her eyes.   
*Okay, I was kidding!* Serena told her brain, attempting to laugh it off.   
Of course, her head refused to cooperate.  
"Serena?" she heard Tuxedo Mask-Darien-asking uncertainly.   
*Thunk!* Serena's eyes widened, then flew shut as she hit the solid cement of   
the New York streets.  
"Oh, God." She faintly heard him say before all went black.  
  



	6. All A Bad Dream

Runaway  
Chapter Five  
All a Bad Dream  
  
When Serena awoke, she was lying in a strange bed in an unfamiliar room. She  
screamed when she saw the dark figure in the corner. The silhouette started  
and flipped on the lights. It was...  
"Darien?" she asked incredulously, sitting up in the bed. She looked down and   
gasped, flushing a pale pink that contrasted with her short, dark hair. The   
reason she blushed was because not only had her clothes been exchanged for a   
large, black men's shirt, but she had absolutely no recollection of doing it   
herself.   
Serena looked up at Darien with a trace of the pink still staining her cheeks.  
"Did you-was it you who-" she asked, acutely aware that her face was burning  
hotly.  
Darien smirked slightly. "Yes, I undressed you," he said calmly. "It's not  
anything I haven't seen before." Serena willed herself to stop blushing, but   
it was to no avail. Maybe it gave him some perverted sense of pleasure to   
remind her of how intimately close they'd been last year.   
*Why are you turning red?* she finally asked herself. *He's right, it's not   
like he hasn't seen you...less than decent before.* In fact, Serena had a   
vague recollection of once making breakfast at his apartment in her bra and   
panties. *Ugh,* her mind grunted. *With him?*   
Slowly but surely, Serena became aware of a hand waving in her face.   
"Serena? Serena! Are you in there, Bunny?" Abruptly, the small, black-haired  
girl crashed back down to earth. *Don't cry!* Serena begged herself. To her   
complete and utter horror, she felt her eyes filling with tears, and she   
looked to the bed sheets to conceal them.   
"Don't call me that," she choked out angrily. She heard his sharp intake of  
breath and without meaning to, she lifted her head. Darien's sapphire eyes   
widened when he saw the shimmering depths of the pools in her eye. Quickly,   
she looked back down-but it was too late. His gentle but firm was on her chin,  
forcing her to lift her bowed head. Darien carefully placed a hand on either   
side of her face and made her look at him.  
"Serena," he murmured, staring into her moonlight blue eyes. "Once, you loved  
me..."  
"No!" she whispered, paralyzed by his eyes, which remained locked on hers.   
"Please, no..."  
"Tell me, Bunny," he continued mercilessly. "Was it really only a year since   
you last said I love you?"  
Serena's tears had dried, but a solitary crystal slipped unnoticed down her  
porcelain cheek. She tried to open her mouth to speak in her defense, but she  
found herself still immobilized by his penetrating gaze. Finally he broke eye  
contact long enough to reach in and wipe the tear off her face. Just in the   
short time Darien looked away, Serena regained her control and pulled herself  
together. Putting up her best, coldest front, she looked Darien in the eye   
and scowled. "I'm leaving," she said with as much dignity as she could when   
she was climbing out of an extremely high bed wearing only an oversized shirt.  
The bed almost came up to her chest and she was having a hard time getting out  
of it, especially while trying to maintain her self-respect. When she finally  
got out, the small black-haired girl got her foot caught in the blankets at   
the foot of the bed and went tumbling to the floor. She wasn't hurt, other   
than her wounded pride. Darien sent a smirk down in her direction.  
"Sorry, princess," he drawled lazily. "But you're not going anywhere without   
your clothes, are you, cutie?"  
Desperately, Serena stood up and sent a searching gaze for her pink belly   
shirt, black miniskirt, and pink tights. She didn't like what she saw, which  
was absolutely nothing. Finally, she spotted her outfit on top of a tall   
cabinet that was at least 2 feet taller than her. Franticly, she started   
jumping as high as she could, trying to reach them without success.   
Eventually, she gave up and turned to Darien with a pleading look. Her pout   
apparently had no effect on him, because he guided her to a chair and gently   
pushed her into it.   
"Come on, Bunny," he pleaded. "Let's talk."  
"*I said, don't call me that!*" Serena screamed. She had a headache, she was  
trapped in her ex-boyfriend's apartment with no clothes, and she was wearing  
a huge black T-shirt. She wasn't in the mood for sentiment and games. Darien  
retreated slightly, then pulled her out of the chair and hugged her.  
"Oh, Serena," he murmured into her hair. "I've missed you so much..." she   
stiffened and tried to struggle out of his grasp. When it became clear that  
he wasn't going to release her, she went limp and stood motionlessly in his   
arms. Finally, he let go and held her at arm's length, just looking into her  
moonlight colored eyes.   
"Serena--Bunny," he began, drawing in a deep breath. "Will you ever forgive   
me?"  
Serena tried to hold in her gasp, but it was hopeless.  
"This isn't really happening," she said shakily. "I mean, no. You are *not*   
standing in front of me, asking me to forgive you after everything you've   
done. I am *not* in your apartment, in your bedroom, half-naked in your shirt.   
And you are *not* here in New York! This is all a bad dream! Yes, a very *bad*  
dream." Serena finished hysterically. Darien chuckled in her face.   
"Don't make laugh, Serena." He said bitingly. "You loved me then, you love me  
now. Why don't you stop lying to yourself and just admit it? A year can't change   
what we had--what we *have*."  
"A year can't." She replied steadily. "A lifetime can." And with that, she   
turned and walked out of his apartment, no longer caring about her lack of  
clothes.  



	7. You Never Forget Your First Love

Runaway  
Chapter Six  
You Never Forget Your First Love  
  
Serena scowled fiercely as she stomped towards Darien's apartment, his black   
shirt in her hand. It was the day after she'd woken up in his bed, and she   
*still* couldn't believe the audacity he'd had to actually *undress* her.  
Finally, she reached his building and pressed the buzzer. She waited for a   
minute, and then the intercom crackled to life and Darien's sleepy voice   
filled the small entryway.   
"Hello?" he yawned.  
"Darien, it's Serena." Before she even finished, she heard his sharp intake  
of breath and couldn't help but smile. It was crazy, the effect she still   
seemed to have on him--even though *he'd* broken up with *her*.  
"Uh-Bunny," he said slowly. "Come on up." There was a pause, then a grating  
buzzing noise. Serena pulled open the door and started up the stairs. When she  
was finally standing in front of his apartment door, she raised her hand to   
knock. The door swung open before she could even rap the door, and she let her  
fist drop-along with her mouth. In front of her, Darien was standing shirtless.  
He looked only half-awake.   
"Bunny," he yawned. Serena finally closed her mouth. She chose not to respond  
to the nickname-she was still half paralyzed at the sight of his bare chest,   
which had somehow gotten even more buff in the last year.  
*Stop it, Serena!* she scolded herself. *This is the guy you hate!*   
"God, I'm sorry," he finally said with a laugh. She looked up, confused. "I   
should've let you in," Darien explained. He stepped aside and gestured. "So...  
Come in."   
  
"I-" she began awkwardly, intending to tell him that she'd only come by to   
drop off his shirt, but he was already closing the door behind her.   
"How are you, Buns?" he asked sleepily, rubbing at his eyes and looking like   
a little boy.   
"I'm...okay," Serena replied slowly.  
Suddenly, Darien glanced down and seemed to notice his boxer-clad figure for  
the first time. He actually blushed! It was so cute-he looked like more of a   
little boy then ever. Serena turned red at her thoughts. *Does the name *Darien*   
mean anything to you, Serena? This is-HIM!* she fiddled with her sunglasses,  
embarrassed. Suddenly, she realized he was speaking.   
"-So I better go put on a shirt." He finished. Turning, Darien walked down a   
dark hall to a darker room. Taking advantage of his absence, Serena started   
to examine her surroundings. The atmosphere was so cold and impersonal, she   
actually shivered. Finally, she came across an entertainment stand that at   
least looked inhibited. It was filled with framed pictures-pictures of people  
Serena recognized. Pictures that made her heart ache with longing.  
First, there was a picture of the girls-Mina was flashing her infamous V-sign,  
Rei was sticking out her tongue, Lita was showing off her muscles, and Ami had  
her nose stuck in a book, as usual. Next was a picture of Rini, holding her   
cat, Diana, and giggling. Besides that picture was one of Darien himself,   
standing with his arm tossed casually around his best friend, Andrew, who was   
tightly holding his girlfriend-Rita, Serena remembered vaguely. But the last   
three pictures were what startled her most of all. The first of the three was  
a shot of Rini, Darien, and herself posing in a family-like portrait. The   
second was a large picture of Serena smiling and winking, with her fingers in  
her typical Sailor Moon pose (a sideways V-sign). It was framed in a cute pink  
frame with a bunny on the top. But the last one was what made her draw in her  
breath so sharply that it unnoticeably attracted Darien's attention in the   
room down the hall. It was of him and herself, locked in a passionate embrace,  
kissing.   
"Bunny?" Serena felt Darien's presence in the room, even before she heard his  
uncertain voice. She turned from the entertainment stand, but before she looked  
his way she sent one last betraying glance towards the kissing photo. He   
caught her gaze and followed it, gasping slightly when he saw what had drawn  
her attention.  
When Serena finally raised her sunglass-covered eyes from the carpet, he was  
staring at her with that oh-so-familiar look on his face. It was the expression  
he had used to always had on his face just before he kissed her.  
"Darien-" she began, her voice faltering.  
"Hell, Serena," he interrupted her. "God knows I shouldn't, but-damn it, Bunny,  
I'm only human." And with that, he closed the space between them and started  
to kiss her hungrily.   
Serena hated herself for reacting to this, even after an entire year.  
*I won't kiss him back,* she asserted wildly, but she already knew she had   
failed. If only he wasn't such a damn good kisser! Finally, Serena couldn't   
hold back anymore. She started to kiss him back, and it was at the precise   
second that the door banged open, and four girls-one blonde, one brunette, one  
blue-haired, and one raven-haired-tumbled in.   
"Surprise!" they shouted, then stopped in shock when they saw the kissing   
couple.   
Serena tore herself away from Darien, straightening her short black hair and  
sunglasses. There was a moment of silence, then all four girls looked directly   
at Darien.  
"How *could* you?" they shrieked in unison. Serena didn't understand, but she   
was too overwrought to care. This was all a little too much for her. Now, her   
cover was completely blown-surely Darien had told the scouts that she was here  
by now. She just couldn't take it if they knew she was here-she'd have to move  
again. With all these thoughts screaming through her head, Serena's vision   
started to sway and blur, and she fell to the floor. She saw Darien's horrified  
face, and then all went black. Serena had fainted. Again.  
  
Cliffhanger! Yay! I'm getting better! *LoL* So, I'm starting to think Serena  
might have a disorder. I mean, it can't be healthy if you pass out daily, ne?  
So, are you all ready to kill me now? *Giggles* Too bad! You're gonna have   
to review to see what happens! *evil little laugh* What's gonna happen?   
What are the Scouts going to do? What's Darien going to do? What's *Serena*   
gonna do? Review, or you'll never ever find out! *Gigglez at Princess's reaction*  
chill, girl! You know I'll write the chapters for you. I just won't post them  
for the rest of these evil non-reviewers! *Takes off through the door, giggling  
madly*  



	8. Darien, How Could You Do This To...Seren...

Sorry, everyone! It's a really short chapter, but I just *had* to end it there!  
Sorry! Remember to review, or no chapter eight.  
Disclaimer: Evil lawyers! EVIL!!! *sighs and mumbles inaudibly*   
Don'townSailorMoonNevergonnahappygoodleavemealone.   
  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Seven  
Darien, How Could You Do This To...Serena?!  
  
When Serena awoke, she heard the screaming voices before she even opened her  
eyes. She wished they would stop yelling-her head was throbbing. When her   
eyelids finally fluttered open, she found that her sunglasses were still on.   
Maybe-just *maybe* there was a chance that the Scouts didn't know yet. *Yeah,  
as if,* she scolded herself. *And maybe Rini is really the Queen of England   
in disguise.*  
She crashed back down to Earth when she heard Mina crying loudly. Slowly,   
Serena sat up and looked over at the scene in front of her. Her blonde ex-best  
friend was on her knees in front of Darien, sobbing wildly.  
"How could you do this to Serena?" she screamed hysterically. "You said you'd  
always love her!" *Huh? How could he do...What to me?*  
Ami and Lita were silent, Ami fixing him with her silent gaze and the brunette  
punching her palm repeatedly. Suddenly, Raye focused on the now conscious  
Serena. Something in her raven-black eyes snapped, and she flew towards the   
small, fragile black-haired girl.   
"You *slut!*" she screamed, seizing her and shaking her hard. "Don't you know  
he's already destined with someone?"  
"Raye!" Serena choked. "Stop!" Her dark sunglasses flew off, but her eyes were  
closed, so the girl shaking her didn't see them. Then Raye stopped.  
"How did you know my name?" she whispered, oblivious to the scene behind her.  
Slowly, Serena blinked her eyes open and looked at her.  
"What do you mean, how do I know your name?" she asked, confused.   
(AN: Remember, Serena forgot that she dyed and cut her hair and she thinks   
that the Scouts know she's there.)  
Raye let out a startled gasp, silencing the others as they turned to look at   
her.  
"Serena," she croaked, just before she fainted.  
  
So, I guess I just like ending the chapters with black outs. *giggles* So sue  
me! No, no, no! I was just kidding! Stop! Get these handcuffs off of me...  
Nooooo!  
*gets dragged into a cop car* Remember to review, or no next chapter! And   
please! Someone get me a lawyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!   



	9. The Return of Sailor Moon

Runaway  
Chapter Eight  
The Return of Sailor Moon  
  
Hey, everyone! A day later and I'm finally out of jail! (Damn lawyers...  
*mutters under her breath about the geniuses at the Legal Rights building*)   
Major thanks go out to Kani Peacecraft for a lot of the ideas in this story,   
if it wasn't for her this chapter wouldn't be out for a while longer. Thanks to  
everyone who reviewed, and I'm really, really sorry to those of you I couldn't  
write back to. But I appreciate it like crazy and it inspires me to write more,  
so don't think I'm ungrateful! Keep them coming, and the chapters will keep  
coming.   
*Angel announces that she *does not!* own Sailor Moon. She notes that only an  
idiot would think she does, even though she knows she fully deserves the rights.  
And Darien. *giggles and starts to scream* hey! What are you doing? I can't   
go to jail! I just got back from there! Besides, I have to tell the story!   
*Gestures at the readers* Come on, at least let me write the chapter out.*  
*Police officer stops and allows her to write-quickly.*  
*Angel murmurs under her breath, 'I'll just have to make this a *really* long  
chapter...*   
  
When Raye woke up, she was lying on the couch that Serena had previously   
occupied. She didn't bother to open her eyes as she was hit with an immense   
wave of pain and sadness. *It was a dream!* her sub-conscious wailed. *Serena's  
not here!*  
At the sound of voices, she blinked her eyes open and looked up. Some of the girls  
were crowded around her, looking worried.   
"Where am I?" she asked weakly, trying to sit up. Ami gently pushed her back   
down.  
"We're in Darien's apartment," she told Raye. "Lay down. How are you feeling?"  
"I'm fine," the raven-haired girl responded. "Where's Serena?"   
The two girls exchanged glances. "And Lita," Raye added. "And-well, Darien, for   
that matter?"  
"I'm over here, Raye," a grim voice came from the center of the room. She   
pushed her way up to a sitting position and saw Lita holding Serena by her   
black collar. Vaguely, Raye remembered her now dark-haired friend fumbling   
for her sunglasses and putting them back on.   
"I'm here, too," Darien called as he struggled to release Lita's arms from   
Serena's shirt.  
  
Raye stood up and flew to her brunette friend. "What are you doing?!" she   
screamed as she yanked Serena from the tall girl's grasp. "Why are you trying  
to hurt Sere?" The smaller girl hit the floor and her sunglasses clattered   
off again. Immediately, a startled gasp rose from the other girls and Lita   
fell to her knees and started to cry.  
"Oh, my God!" she sobbed. "Moon-face-I'm sorry!" Dazedly, Serena patted her old  
friend's back awkwardly. "It's okay, Lita...It's gonna be okay." She whispered.  
  
***  
The next day found Serena lunching with Raye and Mina.   
"But now you can come back, Rena! Isn't that great?" Raye proclaimed cheerfully.  
Ever since they had discovered Serena's where-abouts yesterday, she had been   
uncharacteristically happy. "We're leaving tomorrow, and I bet we could get  
you an airline ticket if we really tried!  
"Sere?" Mina asked softly, suspicious of her old friend's newfound distinct   
quietness.  
Finally, Serena raised her eyes from the napkin she'd been shredding. They   
looked unnaturally bright with a film of moisture coating them.  
"What makes you think I'm coming back?" she asked quietly. When Raye and Mina's  
mouths dropped open, she continued. "I'm *never* coming back, you guys. I'm   
sorry, but I'm not."   
Raye's coal-black eyes filled with angry tears. She threw down a ten-dollar   
bill and ran off. With one last, betrayed look at Serena, Mina took off behind   
her after tossing an equal bill on the table.  
***  
  
*Serena,  
I thought you were our friend, but I guess that I was wrong.  
We'll be back in Tokyo by the time you read this, not that  
you care or anything. I think you're a selfish brat, Serena.  
Tokyo needs you, your friends need you, Rini needs you-  
**we** need you, and I can't believe that you're going to   
deprive all those people of yourself. What happened to  
you? You used to be so sweet and loving, but now you're  
nothing but selfish. I'll never trust you again, Serena. I can't.  
We don't just need you, we need Sailor Moon. The youmas  
are getting harder to beat, and Luna and Ami think there's a  
new enemy. Thanks for all the help, Princess.  
Your ex-friend,  
Raye*  
  
Serena let the letter drop, trying to feel angry. Instead, a betraying tear   
slipped down her face. She looked at the other letter in her other hand. It   
was from Darien and it said, briefly, that he missed Tokyo too much and he   
had to go back.  
He wished she would come, but he knew she wouldn't and he wasn't going to make  
her. The only problem was, Serena wished he *would* make her.  
"Raye's right," she said aloud. "I *am* a selfish brat." Suddenly, Serena   
knew what she had to do. She ran into her room and started to pack her things.  
  
***  
"Serena!" Katherine's face broke into a pretty smile. "What are you doing back   
here? I just did your roots last week."   
"Hi, Kathy," Serena giggled back. She hugged her hairdresser, who had become a  
good friend over the past year. "Actually, I want...I want my old hairstyle   
back."   
"The blonde meatballs?" Kathy's face showed surprise-and-was that a little bit  
of happiness?  
Serena took a deep breath and nodded. "Y-yes." She said firmly.  
  
***  
When Serena walked out of the salon, her hair was blonde and up in her usual   
meatballs, though the pigtails were a good deal shorter than usual. Checking   
her watch, she pulled a panicked face and quickly hailed a cab to take her to  
the airport.  
  
***  
It was a white-faced shadow of Serena that arrived in Tokyo much later that  
night. Stepping off the last stair of the airplane, she felt a familiar pang.   
The scouts were in trouble!  
She followed her instinct towards the scene of the battle. Seeing the inner   
scouts (an: as there is no other scouts in this story, duh, Sere! *gets   
whacked by a lawyer*) being hurt triggered something in Serena. A bright   
silver light encased her and when it faded, Sailor Moon was standing in her   
place. (AN: Yes, her hair was normal length again-down to her boots as usual.)  
Angrily, she started one of her famously corny speeches.  
"How dare you take advantage of this beautiful place," she started, referring  
to the rose garden the youma was destroying. "And these beautiful girls, who   
fight for beautiful things? In the name of all things beautiful-like the   
beautiful moon-I, the beautiful Sailor Moon, will punish *you*, because you  
are *so* not beautiful!" And with that, the meatball-headed heroine sent a   
tiara made of fire (AN: You know in the original series when Moon and Mars  
used to combine their attacks, and the result was that wicked-cool sparkly   
red Frisbee? That's what I'm picturing here) towards the monster. Even from a  
distance, Sailor Moon saw her friends gasp in shock and turn to search for her.  
Just before their eyes lit on her, she jumped away and started hopping buildings.  
Little did she know that a tall, dark, and handsome man's eyes followed her   
from behind a mask, wide with surprise.   
  
***  
When Sailor Moon finally gave up her rapid skyline hopping, she jumped off a  
very low building and started walking. Immediately, a group of little girls   
and preteens surrounded her.  
"Sailor Moon! You're back!" they shrilled, waving paper and pens in her face. She signed a few autographs, then continued on her way. Suddenly, she tensed. Something was wrong-very, very wrong. Sailor Moon's superhero intuition guided her towards the park. When she arrived, she gasped. A tall, scary-looking woman was standing in front of her, seeming to be waiting for her.  
"Hello, Sailor Moon." The woman sneered. "I'm Queen Demonia-Queen of the Dark  
Moon. And I've been waiting for you."  
  
***  
Twenty minutes later found Sailor Moon seriously beaten up. "I-have to fight."  
She gasped, standing up. "For the Scouts and Tux-" she broke off to cough,   
then spit some blood on the ground. "Tuxedo Mask."   
Queen Demonia laughed cruelly as she sent another blast of black-and-silver  
energy towards Sailor Moon, who closed her eyes. She opened them when she felt  
cool plastic in her hand. Looking down, she saw her pink communicator. *Oh,   
thank God!* Nearly hysterical, she pressed the button before the green-and-black  
haired woman in front of her could notice the pink mini-computer. Discreetly,   
she hit the all-call button.  
"Venus here, what's shakin' yo'?"  
"Mercury reads you loud and clear, over!"  
"Mars here, babe!"  
"Jupiter, ready to kick some butt!"  
"This is Tuxedo Mask, did anyone find Moon-face yet?" (AN: I know that Tux  
isn't part of the communicator-connector things, but work with me, kay?)  
When the five voices crackled through the communicator, staticky but so achingly  
familiar, Sailor Moon flung her tiara towards Queen Demonia, hoping to distract  
her. She succeeded, then shouted as loud as she could,  
"Help! It's Moonie, I'm at the park and *I need help!*" she screamed hysterically.   
Demonia sent a carefully aimed blast at Sailor Moon and shattered the communicator  
like glass.  
  
"Serena!" was all that was heard before shards of sharp pink plastic flew   
around Sailor Moon.   
  
When the Scouts arrived, they were horrified to see a bloody and beaten Sailor  
Moon struggling to stand up. A deftly thrown rose by Tuxedo Mask stopped Queen  
Demonia in her tracks as he swooped down and gathered the nearly-dead Sailor  
Moon in his arms.  
"I'm...Darien, I'm going to die." She whispered, her eyes fluttering shut.   
"Serena! No!" Tuxedo Mask shouted as she took one last breath and fell silent.  
He put her down and flew toward Demonia, his entire being filled with rage.  
  
Oh no! Is Sere dead?! Remember, the logic of, "She can't die, she's the main  
character and she still has at least six seasons left to go. We're not even   
done Sailor Moon S yet-she still has to do Sailor Stars!" doesn't work here-  
this is a fan fiction. But, alas! I'm not allowed to finish! Blame this stupid  
cop for that... *Turns to glare at the fat, balding ugly guy that's handcuffing  
her* What?! He *is* stupid! *poutz as she gets hauled off to jail...Again.*   
Write reviews, this guy says the only way I'm getting out of the slammer is   
if I get a least five reviews. Oh yeah, and if I'm in jail, there goes the   
next chapter. So start writing me!  



	10. The Strength of Love

Runaway  
Chapter Nine  
The Strength of Love  
  
Darien sat hunched in a chair beside Serena's hospital bed, his head buried   
inside his arms.  
"God, Bunny," he whispered, not raising his head. "Please wake up. We need you."  
"Darien?" he looked up to see Mina and Ami standing in the door, smiling sadly  
at him. "We're going to get some coffee," the blonde one said. "Why don't you  
come? Sere will be fine for a little while."  
"No," he said tiredly. "I can't leave her." The two girls exchanged glances,  
then Ami shook her head slightly.   
"Okay," they said, then turned to go. Mina turned back. "She'll wake up,   
Darien. She...She has to."  
Darien nodded briefly, letting them know that he appreciated the gesture.   
Silently, they walked out.  
He looked at Serena's deathly pale face. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful,   
so...Dead.  
"Please, Bunny...I need you so much, please wake up. God, this is all my fault...  
If I had only gotten there faster..." Darien dropped his head and held her   
unmoving hand to it. A single tear slipped unchecked from his sapphire orbs   
and slid down her arm. More followed it, faster and faster. They all streaked  
across her immobilized arm and followed it to her neck. He didn't notice them  
form the silvery crystal that glided up her neck and onto her face. The crystal  
rested briefly on her lips, then started to glow a pale pink as it slid into  
the area of her heart. A small cough escaped Serena's mouth, and her eyelids   
fluttered ever so slightly.  
"Bunny?!" Darien's head shot up and he stared at her deathly still face, hope  
etched in his face.  
"Help!" he yelled, sprinting to the door. "Doctor-nurse-someone! She's waking  
up!" Immediately, a horde of doctors and nurses ran into the room, followed   
closely by the crowd of Serena's friends and family that had gathered.  
"*Please!*" Serena's main doctor held up a hand and glared at the group.   
"Give her some room! Family only, please!" Grumbling, almost everyone shuffled  
out. Only Darien, the doctors, and her family remained. Dr. Roberts turned his  
death look to the ebony-haired man who sat by Serena's side, holding her hand.  
"*Family only!*" he emphasized stiffly. Darien retaliated with his own glower.  
"Just try and make me leave," he said, folding his arms across his chest. The   
fair-haired doctor gulped and backed down. Even sitting down, the young man   
was obviously a good deal stronger.   
He grunted and turned back to Serena, allowing Darien to stay.   
"She's waking up!" a red-headed nurse cheered. True to the flaming-haired girl's   
word, Serena's eyelashes started to flutter. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and  
she sat straight up in bed.  
"Darien!" she gasped, staring straight into his sapphire eyes.   
  
Sorry it's so short, y'all! But it was worth it, wasn't it? I mean, it's out!  
Yay! No more death threats!  
Thanks a zillion to those of you who wrote me with your killer ideas. I'll   
write more about the crystal in the next chapter, I just now added in that it  
went inside of her.  
Remember, review, or no more! *Lotsa Luv 'n' Stuff*  
Jewelz  
(*aLmOsT_yOuR_aNgEl*)  



	11. I Don't Love You Any More

Hey everyone, super sorry this is so short. But at least I got it out, right?  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Ten  
I Don't Love You Anymore  
  
Serena closed her eyes weakly and leaned back against the pillows.  
  
"Darien," she whispered, her voice heartbreakingly vulnerable. "Please,   
stop. You're getting me all wet, and...You're kind of scaring me."   
Darien took in a deep, shuddering breath and wiped his face before he looked  
up. He didn't want his girlfriend to see him cry.  
  
(AN: Awwwww!)  
  
"Bunny," he said, pulling her into a loose hug. "Please don't ever leave me  
again."  
  
Suddenly, her face hardened and she stiffened in his arms.   
  
"Don't," she said abruptly, pulling away. Darien looked up, and the look of  
utter confusion on his face almost--  
  
(Yeah? Did someone start to say my name? *dodges a tomatoe and does a   
toe-touch to avoid a...turnip?!* Okay, guess not.)  
  
--broke Serena's heart.  
  
"I don't know why I even came back," She said tersely, getting out of the  
hospital bed. She found her legs still weak and started to stumble, but Darien  
caught her.   
  
(AN: Of course.)  
  
Darien held her tightly and tried to look into her guarded blue eyes.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" he asked as she twisted and squirmed. All of a   
sudden, she stopped and looked deep into his eyes.  
  
"Because I don't love you anymore!" she cried, although it made her heart   
ache to tell these lies.   
  
Watching him, Serena could pinpoint the exact second when Darien's hopes  
crashed to the ground and his heart ripped in two. No longer able to stand  
the look of unbearable pain on his face, she broke away and ran for the door.  
She wasn't even out of it for two seconds before her legs collapsed beneath  
her and she was on the floor, out cold.  
  
(AN: Again.)  
  
So? I think it was pretty good, even though it was really short. God, you  
should have seen it before I put all the spaces between the words in! It was  
only half a page!  
Well, I hope you enjoy it, and I'll try to write more soon. Until then, send  
your ideas to jjohnston@v-wave.com, kay? Please review, or I'll really have  
to discontinue this story. I haven't gotten any reviews lately, and I'm just  
sooooo sad. Do you know how hard it is to go from at least 20 reviews a day  
to one if you're lucky? Well, thanks to everyone that *has* reviewed, and to  
the rest of you, *please!* You're breaking my heart here! Okay, enough. Just  
review so I can stop talking, kay?   
*Lotsa Luv 'n' Stuff*  
*A_Y_A*  



	12. Serena's Little Secret

Runaway  
Chapter Eleven  
Serena's Little Secret  
  
  
When Serena finally woke up again, she was back in the hospital bed with a sea  
of concerned faces surrounding her.  
  
"Serena?" a gentle voice asked. "Are you okay?"   
  
Ignoring them, she sat up and pushed aside the people hovering over her bed.   
Darien was standing by the door, his face ashen. Noticing her awakening, he   
started to shove his way through the immense crowd.  
  
*Where did all these people come from?* Serena wondered. She hadn't thought   
she knew this many people anymore. She let her eyes rest on their faces before  
returning her eyes to Darien's form, which was quickly closing in on her, and  
gasped. In the room was pretty much everyone she'd ever known. Serena hadn't  
seen or heard from most of them in the year since she'd left. There was her   
mother, her face streaked with concerned tears. There was her father, sending  
a death glare to the nearing Darien. Her old best friend, Molly stood next to  
her longtime boyfriend, Melvin, her face buried in his shoulder. She appeared  
to be crying. Next was her little brother, Sammy, who was slouched in a chair  
and pretending that he didn't care that his sister was lying in a hospital bed,  
though his face was pale and his eyes looked suspiciously shiny. Her own   
daughter, Rini, was sitting in his lap and whispering in his ear. Even Andrew  
was there, loosely hugging his sad-looking girlfriend, Rita.   
  
"H-hi, everyone," Serena stammered. Darien had reached her side and was holding  
her hand as he stared down at her, his face emotionless and unreadable.  
"Why do you all look so sad?" she questioned when no one spoke, just gazed at  
her with faces she couldn't comprehend.  
  
"Serena," her mother began bravely, but quickly turned her face away and buried  
it in her husband's broad shoulder. Everyone else looked away. No one wanted to  
be the one that told Serena that she had...  
  
Darien's grasp on her hand tightened, and he sat down next to her on the bed.   
Kenji's eyes bulged, but he wisely kept his big mouth shut for once in his life.  
  
"Bunny..." the young, dark-haired man said, looking at her with unreadable eyes.   
"You...You have..." his voice broke, but he cleared his throat and started to   
go on courageously. "Bunny, you.-"  
  
"Serena, you have cancer!" Mina blurted, her blue eyes wide with pain. She   
buried her face in Andrew's shoulder, who coughed in surprise and patted her  
shoulder.   
  
(AN: Do you think cancer is a little extreme? I have an idea for it, but I'm  
thinking maybe it should just be anorexia. I mean, that could be why she keeps   
fainting. What do you think? Please review. If the majority of you say anorexia,   
I'll change it.)  
  
"I...What?" Serena whispered, dropping Darien's hand. "I-no!" she burst out   
suddenly. "It can't! He promised it wouldn't come back-he-he *promised!*"   
  
As everyone in the room gaped at her, Serena started to sob and she let her   
head fall heavily into her arms. Darien withdrew his hand from the blankets.  
  
"Serena," Ikuko choked. "What do you mean, *can't come back?!* And who promised?  
Sere!" she flew at her daughter and began to shake her. "Tell me! What happened  
in New York?"   
  
Reluctantly, her husband and Darien pulled her off. But everyone's eyes remained  
locked on Serena's hunched form. What would she say?  
  
  
Kay, so, anorexia or cancer? It's your vote. Review and let me know. I have to   
say I'm sorry to Princess. Shantel was at my house and she was chatting on my   
MSN while I watched Passions-she got bored. She got a lot of people mad at me-  
Kayla almost tried to kill me the next day because she thought Shantel was me-  
and now I'm trying to find out everyone she talked to and say I'm sorry. So...  
I'm sorry! Puh-lease for give me? Come on, you're my best. Forgive me?  



	13. I Can't Hide It Anymore

Runaway   
Chapter 12  
I Can't Hide It Anymore  
  
Hey everyone, I'm back already! *Gigglez* Anyways, I decided to stick with cancer, even  
though it was 6:9 in favour of anorexia. The reason I stuck with C is because it's easier.  
This way, I don't have to rewrite chapter eleven, and I don't have to go back in all of the  
chapters, putting in little things about how she didn't eat this or that, and then upload  
them all again. And for one special reason...But I can't tell you that. You'll see in either  
this chapter or the next one. And no, just because this chapter is called 'I Can't Hide It  
Anymore', it doesn't mean Sere's going to admit her feelings to Darien (There's a hint,  
there *are* feelings). I'm a hopeless romantic, but I wanna see him sweat a little.  
(Mmm, Darien sweating... *droolz*) I love Sere and Darien together more than anyone.  
And they *will* get back together. But why not just make this a really long fic? It's doing   
so well! *gigglez and throws an arm behind her head, anime style* Enough! On with  
the show--er, story. PS: Please check out Stolen Innocence, my new story. It's kind of cute.  
  
  
Fifteen minutes later, and Darien was alone in the room with Serena again. Her mother  
had suggested it, though Kenji looked like he wanted to go home and get his rifle when  
she pushed him out the door.   
  
A low coughing sound came from Serena's bed, and he hastened to her side.  
  
"Bunny!" Darien whispered. "You're awake!" She blinked her eyes open and rolled them  
at the nickname.  
  
"Darien," Serena grumbled, sitting up in the narrow hospital bed. "I said, don't call me  
that!" she looked around the room and her eyes widened. "Where is everyone?" she   
demanded in a shrill whisper.  
  
Darien looked around, as if he was noticing everyone's absense in the room for the first   
time. He put an arm behind his head and started to rub his neck.  
  
"Uh," he began haltingly. "They wanted to give us some...space."   
  
When Serena's eyes got even bigger, and she looked like she was going to do her Mount  
Fuji (Mount Fuji *is* a volcanoe, isn't it?) imitation.  
  
"Bu-Serena," Darien said flatly, hoping to cut off the hysterics. Her eyes closed, like she  
was upset that he hadn't called her Bunny.  
  
"What were you talking about, before, when you said it came back?" his hard eyes  
softened at the look of utter heartbreak on her face.  
  
"I can't hide it anymore," Serena said hoarsely. "You're not my number one choice of   
people to tell, as you know, but...You're here, and you've been there for big things in my  
life."   
  
At first, Darien's heart was being torn in two when he heard that he wasn't her 'number  
one choice', but when she went on, he felt placated. Silently, he listened, and absently  
picked up her hand and started playing with her fingers. Serena didn't appear to notice.  
  
"Last year," she began, moistening her lips. "When I went to New York, I started feeling  
really tired. I chalked it up to over-working and staying up too late. I started to go to  
bed earlier, and I even stayed home and just slept for a few days. I started losing a lot  
of weight, and I was eating regularily--well, you know me and my eating habits. I wasn't  
even really exercising that much. No youma to fight and all.  
  
"Pretty soon, I was losing my appetite. When you eat like I have all my life, that's a scary  
thing. I had headaches, *bad* headaches, 24/7. They never went away. Finally, I decided  
that enough was enough. I went to see a doctor. He tested me for a few things. When I   
went back for the results, he looked very solemn and told me to go to the hospital. He   
told me not to worry, they were just going to run a few more tests, more thourough tests.  
  
"So I went, and they admitted me into the hospital. I think it was then that I really got   
scared--it hadn't occured to me that I could really be sick. I even wondered if it was my  
punishment for leaving and screwing up destiny. Then, a really nice doctor named   
Emily Roberts came out and told me..." here, Serena's voice broke off and she stared to  
cry quietly. Darien reached out a hand to comfort her, but she shrugged him off and   
continued with her story.  
  
"She told me...She told me..." she stopped and cleared her throat. "She told me I had  
cancer! But, Darien, she promised...She promised it wouldn't come back, she swore...  
We treated it, she said it was gone..." Darien wrapped his arms around her, and this  
time, Serena didn't protest. She simply sobbed into his shirt like her heart was breaking.  
He didn't know it at the time, but being this close to him *was* breaking her heart.  
  
(AN: What's it like to want something you can't have?)  
  
  
Well, it's done. Chapter twelve is out. Well, *duh*, Angel. They *are* reading this.   
Remember to review, or like, there's *so* no more. Now, I know that my girl Princess  
won't be reading this for like, another month. But when she does, she'll kill me for not  
having the rest out. So you better review, or I *won't* put it out, and then she'll kill   
me and make me a real angel. So, review!!!  
  
  
  
  
  



	14. You Said You'd Never Leave Me (You Said ...

I'm ba-ack! *creepy Poltergeist music plays* Yeah, I'm back! *Already!* I just posted   
Chapter Twelve this morning! *does a cute little dance* Yay! Thanks to Bunny_Moon  
for unintentionally giving me the idea for this chapter and therefore inspiring me! Thnx!  
  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Thirteen  
You Said You'd Never Leave Me  
(You Said You'd Always Love Me)  
  
  
Jessica hurried down the hospital hall after her cousin, Andrew.  
  
"Why do I have to be here?" she whined. "I don't even *know* Serena!"  
  
Andrew turned around and fixed her with a steely gaze.  
  
"But you know me," he amended, "And you know Darien. Can't you be there for him?"  
  
*Darien.* Jessica's heart softened immediately at the sound of his name. Dreamy Darien.  
She'd always liked him, but just as a friend. She was perfectly happy with her own   
boyfriend, Devon (AN: *LoL, Princess!!!*), who had practically blown a fuse when she'd  
helped Darien pull one over on his girlfriend, Serena. The only reason she was here was  
to support him, and because she just felt so damn bad about what she'd done last year.  
Jessica never would have done it if she'd known the girl would react like that--the loud,   
heart-wrenching wails had kept her up for more than a few nights last year.  
  
"You're right, Drew," Jessica said brightly as she resumed her bouncing pace. "I'll do it  
for Darien, and to try to make up for last year to Serena."  
  
"Good," Andrew said, briefly flashing her a smile.   
  
*God, he's cute. Why did we have to be cousins?*  
  
Finally, they reached the room that the nurse had told them Darien's girlfriend occupied.  
Andrew gently knocked on the open door, but Jessica bounded right through and gave  
Darien a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Hey, babe!" she giggled, trying to make the pained expression on his face go away. It  
worked--Darien's face brightened at the sight of Jessica's cheerful face. She'd become  
one of his best friends since she'd pretended to be his girlfriend.   
  
Andrew was the only one who noticed Serena's face pale dramatically.  
  
(AN: Before, it was sort of Andrew and Jessica's POV, now it's more Sere's.)  
  
Serena's hand started to shake with suppressed anger. Her previously warm moonlight  
blue eyes turned to pale, blue-green ice.  
  
"Darien," she said shakily. He turned to look at her and his face filled with concern.  
  
"Bunny? Are you okay?"  
  
Outside, Serena was the picture of cool. Her face was composed and her gaze was   
unwavering. The only clue to her insecurity was her shaking hand, which was concealed  
under the thin blankets. Inside, she was a complete and utter mess.  
  
*How could he let her come here? I thought he really cared about me again. I'm so dumb,  
he just felt sorry for me.*  
  
"Get out." Serena said flatly.   
  
His sapphire eyes widened in confusion.  
  
"Bunny--" he began, but was cut off by a shout from Serena.  
  
"Don't *ever* call me that! I never want to see you again, Darien. Leave me alone for   
once." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared defiantly at the blankets,   
apparently waiting for them to get out.  
  
Andrew and Jessica exchanged nervous glances.  
  
"Uh...We're gonna go get a drink," Andrew said, clearing his throat. "We'll be back later.  
Come on, Jess. Feel better, Sere." The two exited hurriedly.  
  
Darien grabbed Serena's hand and pulled it from her own grasp. Unvoluntarily, she  
looked up, then quickly tried to avert her eyes. Too late. He already had a grasp on her  
chin and was making her look up.  
  
"What was that, Bunny?" he snapped angrily. "We were getting along great--and then   
Drew and Jessie came, and you--oh, God. Jessica."  
  
Serena nodded sharply, her eyes filling with unwanted tears.  
  
"How could you bring her here?" she asked. Her voice cracked and she sounded  
heart-breakingly vulnerable.  
  
Darien pulled her into the secure circle of his arms. She pushed at his chest, but found  
herself drained of energy.   
  
"Bunny...She's not my girlfriend." he sighed into her short blonde hair. "She never was."  
  
Serena pulled away from him. For a moment, she looked like she believed him, but then  
a dark shadow came over her face.  
  
"Don't lie to me, Darien." her face was dark and scary. Darien withdrew his arms, looking  
at her with a fair amount of surprise. Serena never used to be like this.  
  
"I'm not--" he began, but suddenly she broke into fresh sobs and fell against his chest.  
  
"You said you'd never leave me!" she sobbed brokenly. "You...you promised..."   
  
Here, Serena's voice trailed off the coherent trail. However, Darien could still make  
out a few words.   
  
"Never keep their promises... Everyone...The cancer...They promised...*you* promised..  
Jessica...lies..."  
  
Darien sighed and leaned back against the wall, holding her tightly in his arms.  
  
"I was stupid, Buns." he said softly into her head. "I promise I'll never leave you again."  
  
"Promises aren't forever." Her voice was muffled, but he heard it clearly and he felt like  
he'd been punched in the stomach. "No one ever keeps them. They're made to be broken."  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. The Power of Love Part 1

Hey, everyone! Angel's back again! *gigglez* Well, I don't have much to say today.   
Anyways, here's chapter fourteen.  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Fourteen  
The Power of Love (Part 1)  
  
Restlessly, Serena tossed and turned in her bed. She squinted at the clock and held back  
a gasp of surprise when she saw that it was 4:56 a.m. A tear trickled unnoticed down her  
face as she gazed at the presumably sleeping figure in the corner of the darkened room.  
  
*Darien...*  
  
Feeling hot, she kicked off the blankets. Of course, she immediately felt cold, but between  
the burning in her stomach that she assumed was resulting from the cancer, and the incredible  
fatigue she was experiencing, she didn't have the strength to get up and retrieve them from  
the floor.  
  
Shivering, Serena curled up in a ball and tried to get warm, which seemed like an impossible   
task. With surprise, she felt her warm blankets being tucked closely around her shoulders.  
The bed creaked as her rescuer sat down.  
  
"Serena," Darien murmured, stroking her hair. She felt a twinge of pain at the name. Sure,  
she'd been trying to get him to stop calling her Bunny, but... Well, this seemed like a sign  
of resignation, that he was giving up on her.   
  
*And why not?* Serena asked herself bitterly. *You have cancer, you're going to die. He   
has that girl--Jessica--now. He doesn't need you. Let him be happy.*  
  
She tried to summon her strength so she could act sarcastic and closed off, but she couldn't.  
Something in her wouldn't let her.  
  
"Serena," Darien said again, removing his comforting hand from her silvery blonde hair,   
which was growing back at an alarming pace.  
  
Slowly, Serena blinked and looked up at him.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, her voice a barely audible whisper.  
  
*This is weird,* she informed herself mentally. *Since when do I talk like a shy toddler?*  
  
Darien let out a sigh, then started to play with a strand of her hair.   
  
"God, Sere," he began. "I lo--" the door banged open, cutting off his words.   
  
(AN: Damn, I'm evil.)  
  
Serena and Darien both looked up in surprise as a night nurse bustled in and started to  
check Serena's vitals. She stopped only to send Darien a disapproving glance, letting them  
both know that she indefinitely did not commend him being in Serena's room, on her bed,   
at such a late hour.  
  
Even in the semi-darkness of the hospital room, Darien could tell that his gorgeous angel  
was blushing furiously. Apparently, the nurse's meaning of what she obviously thought was  
going on between the two of them, hadn't been lost on her. A small smile twisted his lips--  
she was so incredibly easy to embarrass.   
  
Finally, the redheaded nurse finished her business, and left the two alone--but not without  
sending a significant and meaningful glance in their direction. Darien covered a laugh as he   
watched Serena turn several interesting shades of delicate pinks and fiery reds.  
  
As her mega-blush finally died down, she turned her attention back to Darien.   
"You were saying?" she asked innocently. His eyes darkened slightly, though she didn't  
see it in the darkness of the unlit room.   
  
Before she knew what was happening, he was leaning down over her and pressing his   
lips to hers.  
  
"Darien--don't--" she began, pushing at his chest in vain.   
  
"Why not?" Darien asked, his cool breath fanning her face. "You already hate me, I have  
nothing to lose."  
  
And with that, his lips met hers.   
  
Serena was paralyzed. He'd never kissed her like this before. Lightning struck, thunder   
struck, and she wondered dizzily if Lita was hovering somewhere in the background.   
A thousand colors flashed before her eyes, and she was sure the Scouts were hanging   
around somewhere, putting on a dazzling display of lights just for them.   
  
But she opened her eyes, and to her surprise, the room was empty... And filled with a bright  
silver light?!  
  
"Darien!" Serena shrieked, tugging at his sleeve. Involuntarily, his eyes slid open and he   
looked at her.  
  
"What, Bun--OH MY GOD!" he tore away from her and stared at the light. "What *is* that?"  
he asked, his voice trembling.   
  
Finally, she found her voice, only it had been invaded by sarcasm.   
  
"How the hell am *I* supposed to know, Darien?" she asked, her voice dripping with scorn.  
  
The silver light shimmered into a slim figure, around six feet tall. It sparkled, then faded, and  
in it's place stood the infamous Queen Serenity.   
  
"Mother!" Serena gasped. She started to hurry forward, presumably to embrace her mother,  
whom she hadn't seen in quite awhile. However, Darien caught her arm and pulled her into  
a low bow.  
  
"Queen Serenity," he said, unconciously morphing into his Prince Endymion form. His  
voice grew strangely deep.   
  
(AN: *L* I know, that was dumb. Why would his voice go 'strangely deep'?)  
  
Serena's image shimmered briefly, and then Princess Serenity replaced her.   
  
"Mother," she said as Prince Endymion kissed Queen Serenity's hand softly. She hurried  
forward, lifting her long dress and now floor-length hair.   
  
She hugged her mother hard, then stepped back and gazed at her quizically.   
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice not unkind. The Queen smiled at her only  
daughter.  
  
"Setsuna came to see me," she began.   
  
(AN: I know I'm using the dub names, but I really like Setsuna better than Trista. Sorry to   
anyone who has a problem with this.)  
  
"And told me about the cancer." she finished, her expression not half as grave as one   
would expect from the mother of someone with a usually life-ending disease.   
  
Princess Serenity's head bowed slightly, and her pigtails drooped on either side of her head,  
sprawled on the dirty floor at her feet. Endymion hastened to lift them, holding them behind her  
back.   
  
"And," Queen Serenity continued. "I have come to give you a wonderous gift. One that will  
greatly change your current outlook of your life."  
  
  
  
*Breathes a sigh of relief and wipes some imaginary sweat off her forehead.* Whoa! I'm  
finally done! Aren't you guys proud? This chapter is so freakin long, and it's just part one  
of The Power of Love. Yay! Originally, I was planning on writing part two today, chapter   
fifteen, but I just can't. I'm drained. I'm sure you can all guess the gift that Queen Serenity is  
planning to bestow upon her daughter. I mean, I think it's kind of obvious. I don't know, maybe  
I'm wrong and it wasn't as apparent as I thought, but...  
  
Whatever. I'll probably do chapter six for Stolen Innocence tonight. After that, maybe I'll do  
TPoL part two. Eh? I'm sure you'd all like that. And this time, lets keep the death threats tame,  
eh? I mean, I'm just a teenage angel! I can't take this s***!  
  
*Lotsa Luv 'n' Stuff*  
Jewelz  
(aka *aLmOsT_yOuR_aNgEl*)  
0)))___CRAYOLA___)))  
(\__/)  
(='.'=)  
(")_(")   
  
  
  
  



	16. The Power of Love Part II

Hey, minna! (I finally found out what that means! ^_^) I have a badly sprained ankle and   
can't do much, so you're getting another chapter a day after I posted Fourteen-A! This *is*  
gonna be Chapter Fifteen, but it's still part two of ch. 14. *shrugs* Don't ask.  
Also, tommorow, *another* chapter will be up! Wow! Chapter Sixteen! *Looks amazed* I   
never thought I'd do so well... You guys must really love me, huh? *silence*  
*Angel looks sad and bursts into tears, then runs out*  
  
A super cute chibi angel, replica of Angel, walks out. She's wearing a cute, short little white  
dress and has pink and gold wings, with a gold halo and adorable little pink shoes.  
"Hi-hi!" she whispers shyly, looking at the vast audience. "Here's the disclaimer."   
She clears her throat nervously and looks down at the small paper she's clutching in her hands.  
  
"I don't own Sailor Moon,  
So please, do not sue.  
For I'm a little angel,  
Who's lawyers won't know what to do!" (Thanks, Pat-isha!)  
  
Everyone applauds and Chibi Angel looks terrified, starts to cry, and rushes off in the   
direction Angel went.   
  
*Chibi Chibi pops out. Yeah, this is after episode 200 of Sailor Stars, so she can talk.*   
  
"Aw, well, everyone's crying, so, here I am and here's the story!"  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Fifteen  
The Power of Love Part II  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*Recap: A bright silver light filled the room, and when it faded, Queen Serenity  
stood in it's place.   
"Mother!" cried Serena, hurrying forward to embrace her mother. The Queen hugged her,  
then stepped back to look her daughter over. Serena's image shimmered, then Princess  
Serenity replaced her.  
  
"I heard about the cancer," The Queen said. "And I've come to give you an incredible gift..." *~*~*~*  
  
  
"A gift?" Princess Serenity asked in confusion. She stepped away from her mother and   
gripped Prince Endymion's arm as if it was a life-preserver and she was the last passanger  
aboard the Titanic. (AN: Yes, I *did* love that movie. And, duh, Serena! I mean, everyone   
else figured it out already, and *you're* the one it's happening to!*  
  
Soothingly, Endymion stroked her hair, but what Princess Serenity didn't know was that he,  
too, was sending questioning glances to his eternal love's mother.  
  
Queen Serenity smiled, her hard silver face softening and radiated with a warm light.   
(AN: What?! I *know* that Serenity isn't exactly 'hard' looking, but that's not quite what I meant.  
Just stick with the softening bit, eh?)  
  
"A wonderous gift," she repeated herself, stepping closer to them and holding out both hands.  
Uncertainly, the two lovers glanced at each other, but each took one.   
  
"I hate to make you do this, my darlings," the elegant, silver-haired woman murmured   
sympathetically. "But you must kneel."  
  
Without hesitating, Endymion dropped to his knees, still holding Queen Serenity's hand   
above his head with one hand, and holding Princess Serenity's with his other. He already  
had an idea of what gift she planned to bestow, and he would've rocketed to the sun for her  
to do it if he was right.  
  
(AN: It's annoying me that I have to write out Princess Serenity *growlz* and Queen Serenity  
*growlz more* all the time, so I'm just gonna write P.S. or Q.S. I'm sure you braniacs can  
figure out who's who. -_-6 No, Princess Kiwi and Lena Sauren of the Pies! That *was not*  
an insult! *cowers*)  
  
Slowly, P.S. sank to one need beside him, a puzzled expression on her face. Apparently,  
she hadn't reached the same conclusion as her love of 1000 years.  
  
Q.S. pulled her hands from their grasps and instead, laid them on their heads.  
  
"Princess Serenity, Neo-Queen Serenity," she began, her voice sounding strange and distant,  
not at all like Q.S.'s normal tone. P.S.'s bowed head started to snap up, but an unyielding  
pressure between her meatballs (AN: ugh, that sounded kinky...) forced it to remain down.  
  
"And Prince Endymion, Neo-King--" (AN: Is Darien 'Neo-King? I can't seem to remember  
right now. *Touches her hair and shrugs* Typical dumb blonde, I suppose.)   
"--Endymion. I call upon the power of the Moon Kingdom, the power of the Earth Kingdom,  
and the power of your love for each other to help me banish this evil that has invaded my  
only daughter's body."  
  
Though P.S.'s eyes were closed, Endymion felt them fill with sudden understanding.  
*Good,* he said mentally, giving a quick, sharp nod. *She knows what Q.S. intends to do.*  
  
The power began to come through. Blue and gold electricity flew from Endymion's body.  
Pink and gold was streaming from P.S., and silver and pale, moonlight blue gushed from  
Q.S. The Queen gathered the energy in her palm as it formed into a giant ball of crackling  
electricity. Suddenly, P.S. and E.M.'s back's arched as though they were in pain, their chests  
thrust up high in the air. An incredible light, silver and red mixing with pink and blue, exploded  
from them, signifying the power of their love. Q.S. gestured, and it flew from where it hovered   
above their bodies towards her. Just before it did, however, the silver and the blue morphed  
together to form a moon, and then the pink and red swirled together to make a rose.  
  
(AN: For all you dummies out there, the pink and silver was Serena's, and the blue and red  
was Darien's. LoL, NO! I am NOT calling you dumb!! Lena! Princess! If you two team up and  
start throwing pies and... Whatever it is you throw, P-cess...Well...I'll hide! Yeah! I'll hide, and  
you'll never see the rest of the story! *evil giggle as the hurled items stop coming* that's what  
I thought.)  
  
The rose crossed over the moon, then glided through the air towards Q.S. Immediately,  
P.S. and Endymion collapsed to the floor, hardly breathing.  
  
Queen Serenity smiled slightly. She knew it was to be expected. Silently, she whispered  
an incantation, her lips moving. The energy turned into a swirl of rainbow colors, then formed  
something resembling a pure-heart crystal (AN: Think Sailor Moon S.) and slipped into P.S.'s   
body, right where the doctor said the cancer was. P.S.'s deathly-still body shuddered   
slightly, and a brief smile crossed Endymion's face before the couple fell back into a peaceful  
sleep, breathing easily.   
  
Q.S. began to glide towards the ceiling, into a silver light, then stopped just before she   
disappeared completely. Turning back, she smiled gently at her daughter. Now, the Princess   
would live as she was always destined to...Forever.  
  
Angel reenters, clutching a Kleenex and sniffling.   
"I forgot," she says quietly. "Chapter Sixteen will be out on Tuesday, March 19th, so if you're  
reading this chapter tommorow, it won't be out the day after *that*, it'll be out...today, which  
is really tommorow, and....*Gets a headache* Whatever. *Walks off, blowing her nose   
delicately and limping.*   
  
  



	17. Woo and Pursue--But First, Take a Shower...

Hmph. I'm back, and still mad. *Crosses her arm over her chest and half-poutz, half-scowlz*  
Ya know, I was *sure* that at least a *few* people would write and apologize, or at least tell  
me not to cry. :( I guess no one loves me. I'm gonna discontinue this story. *walks off, then  
pops back in*  
  
(For the disclaimer, I'm just gonna copy and paste the angel thing) *strides out*  
  
Disclaimer:A super cute chibi angel, replica of Angel, walks out. She's wearing a cute,   
short little white dress and has pink and gold wings, with a gold halo and adorable little   
pink shoes.  
"Hi-hi!" she whispers shyly, looking at the vast audience. "Here's the disclaimer."   
She clears her throat nervously and looks down at the small paper she's clutching in her hands.  
  
"I don't own Sailor Moon,  
So please, do not sue.  
For I'm a little angel,  
Who's lawyers won't know what to do!"  
  
Everyone applauds, and Chibi Angel looks terrified and runs off after Angel.  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Seventeen  
Woo and Pursue--But First, Take a Shower!  
(Part One, 3rd person-Darien's POV)  
  
  
Darien stormed through the hospital hallway, combing a hand through his hair. He caught a  
glimpse of himself in the glass of the exit doors as he was banging through them, and stopped  
short. His eyes were tired and bloodshot, filled with anger, and his hair was a mess from him  
constantly raking his hands through it (AN: Thanks to Angel-and-Bunny induced stress! *slaps  
Serena a high-five and gigglez*). His clothes were rumpled from spending the night in the  
chair beside the love of his life's bed--he hadn't wanted to leave Serena alone.  
  
*Serena.* Darien let his grip on the door fall. *What am I doing?* he asked himself, absently  
running a hand over the stubble on his jaw. He couldn't give up, no matter how hard Bunny  
pushed him away. She was like a stubborn child--demanding to get her own way, but in the  
end, easy to wear down.   
  
Darien turned and began to stride purposefully back towards Serena's room, but another   
look in the glass stopped him dead. Before he started to pursue her and win her over again...  
He *really* needed a shower.   
  
LoL! Wasn't that cute? -_-6 I know it was short, but I wrote it in Social during a movie. And  
besides, at the rate I've been cranking out these chapters out, I thought I could get away  
with a short one. *Shrugz* I'll have the next part of Stolen Innocence out soon, I promise.  
Really--all I have to do is write it! LoL!  
  
Love alwayz,   
Angel  
  
p.s. The next chapter of this is out as soon as this is, too. I wrote it in Science. -_-6  
  
p.s.s. *Chibi Angel peeks out shyly from behind Angel's legs and whispers,* "Bye-bye..."  
*she hidez back behind Angel*  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	18. Woo and Pursue-But First, Take a Shower ...

I'm back again, five seconds later. Here's 18-part 2, and yeah, I *have* started Chapter 19.  
*sweatdropz* I started it in my 2nd Social class. (I had Social, Science, Science, Social today.  
Ick.) Kay, so, here it is. After this, I'll be writing Stolen Innocence's next chapter. I know it's  
been awhile, but...Whatever, just watch for it.  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Eighteen  
Woo and Pursue--But First,   
Take a Shower.  
(Part 2, 3rd Person-Serena's POV)  
  
Serena sat up in her hospital bed, crying silently as Darien stormed out of her life forever--  
presumably, anyway.  
  
She stood up shakily (AN: I *realize* that she's cured, it *is* my story, but she's been in bed  
for quite awhile, I'd say her legs would be an itty 'ittle bit shaky), planning to go after him--  
until she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped. Her hair, suddenly long again,  
was stringy and dull-looking, although it was still was silky as ever.   
  
(AN: *SUM*-how! Oh, to be a young anime character. LoL.)  
  
Her nightgown was crumpled, and her face was flushed and sweaty.  
  
"I'll have to win him over again," Serena decided. "But first... I *really* need to take a shower!"  



	19. I Really Love You

Hey, minna! *bounces in, gently dragging Chibi Angel by the hand.* We're back!!!  
Not much to say today... Check out Destiny, Part II in the trilogy and sequel of Desperate to  
Be Yours, and How Do I See You? Which is a bunch of cute lil poems of how the couples of  
Sailor Moon see each other. So, anyway, here's the disclaimer.  
  
Disclaimer:A super cute chibi angel, replica of Angel, walks out. She's wearing a cute,   
short little white dress and has pink and gold wings, with a gold halo and adorable little   
pink shoes.  
"Hi-hi!" she whispers shyly, looking at the vast audience. "Here's the disclaimer."   
She clears her throat nervously and looks down at the small paper she's clutching in her hands.  
  
"I don't own Sailor Moon,  
So please, do not sue.  
For I'm a little angel,  
Who's lawyers won't know what to do!"  
  
Everyone applauds, and Chibi Angel looks terrified and hides behind Angel.  
  
Runaway  
Chapter 19  
I Really Love You...  
  
Darien dashed into the hospital, by the visitors sign in desk, and into the closing elevator  
doors. As they slid shut behind him, he heard the nurse at the sign-in desk calling after him.  
  
"SIR! Uh, sir?! You have to sign in--" she was cut off as the doors shut and the lift started it's  
upwards ascent.  
  
When the door opened again, Darien flew out of them and ran to Serena's room, clutching  
a giant bouquet of roses that had, suddenly, magically appeared. Thankfully, there was no  
one around to notice his little out-of-thin-air act.   
  
Finally, he reached her door and threw it open, breathing heavily.  
  
"Bunny," he started, then stopped in shock. Serena's hospital room was--empty?!  
  
"Oh, my God, no." Darien whispered, sinking to the floor in the doorway. "She's...dead?"  
  
A low chuckle came from behind him, and he quickly lost his undignified position. When he  
turned, the kindly old doctor that had taken care of Serena was standing behind him.  
  
"She's not dead," Dr. Roberts said mildly, laying a hand on Darien's shoulder. "Miss Tsukino  
was released this morning."  
  
"She was--?" He barely even noticed when the old doctor hurried off, saying something about  
being called to ER. *That means she's left...She could be halfway across the world again.*  
  
"Oh, Gods, Bunny..." he murmured, sinking into a nearby chair and burying his face into his  
hands. "I can't believe you left me again. I can't take it."  
  
  
*3rd Person-Serena's POV*  
  
Serena giggled quietly. Darien actually thought she'd left again? As if she could. Much as  
she hated to admit it, she needed him.   
  
She started to step towards him, then stopped in disbelief. To her utter horror, Darien was...  
crying???  
  
Serena hurried forward and gently laid a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Darien..." She started, feeling terrified and not knowing why. "What's wrong?"  
  
Darien, too distraught to recognize the source of the voice, sniffled hard and didn't raise  
his head.   
  
"My girlfriend left me again," he said sulkily, sounding very much like a pouty little boy.  
  
"Oh, really?" Serena said, amused again and trying to hide it. "Why would she do that?"  
  
"I don't know!" he wailed in sudden anguish. "I love her so much, but she keeps leaving!"  
  
Unexpectedly, her eyes filled with tears and she threw herself onto Darien's lap.   
  
"Oh, Darien!" Serena wailed (AN: I know I used it 2 lines ago, but you try and come up with  
another word for 'wail'. It's not as easy as it looks.) as she sobbed into his chest. "I love you,  
too!" she sniffed, breaking into fresh, crystalline tears.   
  
He looked up in shock, tentatively wrapping his arms around the petite girl half-hanging off  
his lap.  
  
"Bunny?" he asked cautiously, stroking her back. She pulled back, directing her teary   
moonlight-blue gaze at him and trying to smile. He drew her close again, rocking back and   
forth while gently wiping the tears from her face. "Oh, Buns. I thought I'd lost you again."  
  
"Never!" Serena shrieked, her impassioned outburst startling Darien. "You could never, ever  
lose me, Darien! But..." she lowered her eyes, hiding them with long black eyelashes. "I   
know that I could lose you."  
  
He let out an astonished laugh, cradling her in his arms and running his fingers through her  
silky-but-disarrayed hair.   
  
"Lose me?" Darien asked incredulously, rubbing the small of her back vigourlessly as if to  
wipe these crazy thoughts from her mind. "Are you insane? Bunny, I'm yours. For now, and  
forever...We're destined, remember?"   
  
Serena smiled mistily at him, her beauty stunning him for a minute. "Gods, Darien, I don't   
think it's possible to love someone this much...It hurts."  
  
"I know, Buns, I know."  
  
"But, Darien, I don't think--" he cut off her negative words by grabbing the back of her head  
(AN: Think of the Torrence-and-Cliff scene at the end of Bring It On) and kissing her firmly.  
  
(AN: And now we'll give them some privacy, instead of describing it...Only I am lucky enough  
to view it. ^_^6)  
  
When Darien finally pulled away, Serena's face was blushing pink and her crystal eyes were  
no longer wet.   
  
"Oh, Darien," she whispered/breathed (AN: Pick the one you like better. Go on, pick it.).   
Then she grabbed him and pulled him back in for an earth-shattering kiss. (AN: Heh, I've  
always wanted to say that. Earth-shattering kiss. Te he!)   
  
When they eventually separated, they were both breathing heavier than normal. (AN: Cheesy,  
I know.)   
  
"Wow," Darien said huskily, moving in for another one.  
  
"A-*hem!*" The couple jumped apart, both blushing furiously. A few feet away stood a red-  
headed nurse. Her hands were on her hips, and she was trying to looked annoyed, but  
none-the-less was involunterily smiling. Finally, the happiness on her face won over and she  
gave them a pretty, full-out smile.  
  
"Try to keep it down, you two." she said kindly. "I'm not supposed to let you do this, but...  
Well, you two just make such a cute couple!"   
  
They grinned back at her, then mouthed a silent thank you as she turned to leave.   
  
"Come on," whispered Darien. "Let's go somewhere a little more private."   
  
Serena laughed. He wasn't going to get away with it, and he knew it. "Yeah, like the arcade."  
She smirked. Swinging hand in swinging hand, they headed out the hospital doors and towards  
the Crown Parlor Arcade to tell everyone of the reunitation.  
  
Heh, this chapter was *so* dumb.   
  
  
  
  



	20. Will She Stay or Will She Not? (She Told...

Nothing to say today. Check out Still On Your Side--NOW!!!  
Here's Chibi Angel with the disclaimer.  
  
*Shoves the microphone in CA's face, who's baby-blue-green eyes go wide. She passes   
out in a dead faint.*   
  
Oh, my...*Angel looks horrified, then signals. Two burly dudes come out and carefully carry  
CA out.*   
  
She'll be fine, everyone! *Everyone cheers.*   
  
*Grumblez* Yeah, bet ya wouldn't do that if *I* was gonna be okay, would ya? *silence*  
Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, Cheebz obviously can't do the disclaimer, so here's  
my three characters: Sailor Crystal Moon, Sailor Crystal Angel, and Sailor Angel.  
  
*3 blonde-pigtailed, blue-eyed girls in immensely scanty clothing walk out, swaying their   
hips like over-sexed cartoon characters. Angel sweatdrops and forces them to put on  
kimonos.* Kay, well, bye! *Strides out and leaves the girls to do their stuff*  
  
*The characters pose, and the middle one begins to read in a 'like, duh, omigod, tscha!'   
voice.*  
  
Kay, uh, she doesn't own Sailor Moon *the other two murmur: Sailor....Whaaaa?*  
So, like, please don't...Ya know, sue? *Sue?!*  
Cuz we're all like...Tscha, lil angelz...?! *Ya, right!* *shrugz*  
Who's lawyers won't know...uh...like, what ta do! *You did it, Crystal Moon! Yeah!*  
  
*They prance out, doing the hip thing and discarding their robes.*  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Nineteen  
Will She Stay, Or Will She Not?  
(She Told Us Once, But We Forgot.)  
  
  
Serena and Darien walked into the arcade, swinging their hands and smiling happily.  
  
Immediately, everyone in the place's mouths dropped open and they all gasped.  
  
"SERENA!" A barrage of girls came flying up, and soon they were all hugging her and  
making exclaimations. Unnoticed, Darien slipped away and went to stand by Andrew.   
  
"Rena! Why are you out of bed?" Questioned Raye, laying a hand on Serena's stomach--  
where the cancer had originated from.   
  
A huge smiled crossed the blonde's face, and she grabbed Ami and swung her around,   
startling the blue-haired girl to no end, although she giggled uncertainly.  
  
"QUEEN SERENITY--uh, I mean, Queen Serenity," Serena lamented, lowering her voice  
a few decibals but keeping the grin on her face. 8 girls and a tall blonde boy (Andrew)   
gaped back at her, blank expressions on their faces.   
  
"Uh huh," drawled Mina, trailing a hand around in the air in a languid manner.  
  
"She took the cancer away! She did, she did!" Darien blurted, jumping around and doing  
a little Irish-kind of dance. (AN: Picture Darien doing that little thing where you jump with  
your feet out to the sight and hit them together, then to the other side, and etc, and TELL me  
you didn't laugh your ass off!)  
  
Hotaru giggled hysterically for a moment, before it sunk in. Then everyone's jaws dropped   
open and they all stared. Then slowly, but surely, a huge smile crossed Raye's face.  
  
"It's gone?! HELL, YES!" she shouted. (AN: Picture Courtney at the end of Bring it On--2nd  
Place? HELL YES!)  
  
"All right, Mommy! Now you can stay here with us!" cheered Rini, throwing her little arms  
tightly around her mother's waist.  
  
Abruptly, the smile fell from Serena's face and she pried her daughter away from her.  
  
"Serena?" Amara questioned, noticing the grim expression on the small blonde's face.  
"Serena!" Her voice grew harsher as her friend didn't answer.   
  
Panic filled Darien's face and he seized Serena by the shoulders.  
  
"Bunny!" He hissed, staring at her. "What are you doing?! Tell them you're staying."   
  
She didn't respond, just averted her eyes to the floor. Then utter fear crossed his face and  
he began to shake her, almost hysterically.  
  
"Serena!" he begged desperately. "You're kidding! You're not...How could you even..."  
  
Finally, she raised her eyes back to stare Darien and the others in the eyes. "I am, and I  
can."  
  
Rini, confused and scared, turned and began to sob into Setsuna's skirt. The others watched  
silently, their faces strained, their bodies stiff and still.   
  
Serena lowered her now tear-filled eyes to the ground again. In a barely, audible voice, she  
whispered simply: "I'm sorry." Darien's grasp tightened, hurting her now. She barely felt it  
as she added, "I really think I should go back to New York. This place is just too full of   
memories, too painful." His grip released her shoulders and his arms fell to his sides.   
Everyone stared, too hurt and pained to speak.  
  
How was it? Peaz don't hate me, I know it was kind of depressing. And short. But you'll   
see--I'm going somewhere with this. There's only gonna be maybe 2 more chapters. Maybe  
one more, maybe one less. *Shrugs* It depends on how long chapter 21 is. We'll see.   
But don't worry. There's a sequel...There's *always* a sequel. I've already written one of the  
last chapters for the sequel. *gigglez at her lameness* i haven't even started it yet, but i've  
wrote the last chapter. how lame.  
  
Bye! Oh ya, and Cheebz is okay. She'll be back next chapter, kay? Send get well cards!  
And check out Still On Your Side and Return of Innocence (sequel to Stolen Innocence),   
please? Thanks!  
  



	21. Outsider

*Cartwheels in, waving her cheerleading pom poms, flips a back handspring, and lands in  
the splits with the poms at her hips* I'm back!!! *Watches everyone's mouths drop open and  
poutz* Aw, come on, y'all! It hasn't been THAT long! *Chibi Angel somersaults in and lands  
in Chibi Chibi splits, in a lil chibi cheerleading uniform. Crowd: Awww!* *Angel grinz* That's  
my Chibi! *Smilez n hugz her lil mini her* Well, I know you all wanna get to the chapter, so   
I'll go to it. Peaz go r/&/r The Outsiders--A Sailor Moon Story, and Eat Your Heart Out by  
Neptune Aqua Princess. (Did I get your name right, Aqua? I'm super sowy if I didn't!)  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Twenty  
Outsider  
  
Serena took one last look around the pink-and-blue room of her childhood before grasping  
her suitcase and shutting the door tightly.  
  
She'd expected them to stop her--but no one had even objected. They simply stared at her  
before walking to a booth, leaving Serena to stand alone in the center of the room. Andrew  
had brushed by her with a tray of sodas for the silent table, and she'd felt a terrible coldness  
emitting from him. Andrew--warm, solid Andrew--who had always treated her like a baby   
sister...  
  
Now treated her like an outsider.  
  
  
Speaking of Outsiders, check out my new fic, The Outsiders--A Sailor Moon Story. *Gives  
a big, toothy salesman smile and shakes her poms* -_-6 Shamless, I know.  
  
Sowy it was so short, but there's another one coming up right away. So DON'T SPAZZ!  
  
Review! *Grinz* 


	22. ~Flashback~

Back! Enjoy the story! *Chibi Angel looks surprised* What, Angel? No yakking? *Camera  
zooms away from the two. Arguing echoes in the background*  
  
Runaway   
Chapter Twenty-One  
~Flashback~  
  
~Darien's Flashback~  
  
A heavy silence hung in the air, drifting around the cutting words that hovered above our  
heads. The words that waited to pounce.  
  
We all looked at each other, our thoughts similar.  
  
Ami: She intends to migrate again? But that's absurd! Not to mention highly improbable.  
  
Mina: Sere can't leave! She'll be messing up destiny--hey! If she's gone, that means Darien  
will be free.... (AN: I know Mina'd never do that. But I thought it was funny and kind of cute,  
and besides, she is boy crazy. *gigglez*)  
  
Raye: That dumb blonde! As if I'd let my best friend leave again.  
  
Lita: I'm gonna sock Darien a good one for chasing Rena away again.  
  
Rini: I wonder if they have mint chocolate ice cream here?  
  
Amara: Damn it! Doesn't Kitten understand she's the kind of person that can never be alone?  
Damn, Darien's gonna get it.  
  
Michelle: Amara looks so upset. I wonder--if Serena knew what she was doing to us, would  
she stay? If she knew she was tearing us apart, would she unpack her bags? She brought  
us all together...Now she's bringing us apart.  
  
Hotaru: Every looks so terribly sad. I don't understand. What is Sere-Rena doing? Is she  
leaving again? I hope not. Rini was so sad. (AN: Hotaru's at her growing up stage right now,  
after she's reborn.) I'm only five. I wish I was older, so I could understand.  
  
Setsuna: If only Queen Serenity would permit to reverse the timeline, back to where the   
Princess was dumped and kicked out of the Scouts. If only there was something I could do!  
Listen to your heart, Princess. In it you will find the answer, the answer you knew deep inside  
all along.  
  
Darien: God, Bunny, don't leave me again. You know I can't make it without you. This past  
year was torture; don't put me through it again. I'll never hurt you again, I promise. Just, please,  
don't leave me.  
  
Andrew: All my life, Serena's been this little sister-figure to me. She's always been so tiny,  
so much smaller than everyone else her age, so I've had this natural inclination to protect her.  
But, if you want the truth, she protected me. Now, she's leaving us again. Last time she left,  
I cried for the first time since she came into my life. I hate to admit that--but I'd admit anything  
if she'd stay.  
  
*Sighs and wipes pretend sweat off her forehead* Done! Otay, everyone, this time I promise  
the next chapter won't take so long. There's one more chapter after this, and then an epilogue.  
And of course, the sequel. I'm not sure about the name yet, but I'll let you know in one of my  
other fics in the Authors Notes. Aight, well, keep checking! And...PEAZ, PEAZ, PEAZ REVIEW!  
*Chibi Angel slips to her knees and begs* Peaziez? 


	23. This I Promise You (P-1)

BACK!!! And it didn't take nearly as long this time! *Huge smilez come from both Angel and  
Chibi Angel*   
  
GO READ THE OUTSIDERS--A SAILOR MOON STORY!!!  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Twenty Two  
This I Promise You  
(Part One)   
Serena stopped, her hand on the railing of the airplane stairs. Sighing, she turned and took  
one last look around the Tokyo airport, causing low-cast, angry comments to form from the  
people behind her in the line.  
  
"Hey, blondie, would you mind getting your little cheerleader-butt out of the way?" grumbled  
a heavy-set man in his late-twenties.   
  
She fixed him with a glare. "Excuse me, but why is that all you perverted men thing that a   
blonde-haired blue-eyed girl with a generally fit body has to be a cheerleader? For your  
information, I am a football quarterback, first string. And why are you looking at my butt,  
anyway?" Okay, so the football bit wasn't true and she didn't really care what some college  
freak thought, but still. It was the principal of the thing.  
  
The man muttered under his breath again, something about hentai little teenagers with nasty  
little minds. Serena ignored him and surveyed the terminal again. It was the last time she would  
see this place, and she'd be damned if she let a bunch of gawky strangers ruin it for her. They  
were all jealous, anyway.  
  
"Serena!" Startled, she turned and looked for the source of the voice and was puzzled when  
she saw no one recognizable.  
  
"Miss..." A flight attendant tried to grasp her arm, courteously, and pull her onto the aircraft,  
but she persisted in craning her neck above the crowd. "Miss!".  
  
"Damn it, leave me alone," she snapped, turning to face the steward. "I'm trying to see who's  
calling me!"  
  
Looking surprised, he nodded and hurried back into the plane, calling to the pilot about unstable  
passengers.  
  
"*Serena*!" the voice came again, more insistantly this time. She turned in it's direction.  
  
"For God's sake, girl! Could you at least get the hell out of the way?" The testy man behind  
her pleaded. Behind him, the line murmured in agreement. Again, she ignored them.  
  
"Bunny!"   
  
*Oh, God.* Serena instantly froze. *It can't be.* Slowly, she turned in the direction of where   
it had come from and, miraculously, this time she saw them.  
  
Everyone.  
  
They were all there--the Scouts, Darien, Rini, Andrew, even Lizzie! "G-guys?" She managed,  
although they were too far away to hear it. Hesitantly, Serena took a step down the stairs,  
shoving the annoyingly persistant man backwards.   
  
"*Miss--*"   
  
But even as she pushed her way through the angry crowd, one word fought to be heard.   
Her mind groped for it, and suddenly it was flashing through her head.  
  
*Hurt.*  
  
She stopped dead, and the uproar from the crowd grew louder. Pressing her hands to her  
already aching temples, Serena screamed. "Would you all shut up?!"  
  
Immediately, a heavy silence rested in the air and she turned and hurried up the steps. An  
approving mumble made its way through the crowd and she spun around again, a   
warningly threating look on her face. Immediately, everyone resumed their silence--most people  
recognize a dangerously enraged girl when they see one.  
  
"BUNNY!" The shout came louder and Serena hurried onto the plane, pressing her hands   
to her ears.  
  
"Serena, wait!" Frantically, she stopped on the top step and twirled around. "I'm leaving, you  
guys!" She screamed in their directions, tears running down her face."Don't try and stop me,  
I can't stand it."  
  
And with that, she pivoted on her heel and rushed onto the airplane, wiping an arm across  
her face and flinging her plane ticket at the ticket taker as she rushed by.   
  
  
Oh, no! What's going on?! Is Sere really leaving...Forever? You'll have to review to find out!  
*Gigglez 'n' winkz!* Stay tuned for part two! Originally, this was going to be one chapter,   
but I decided it was more dramatic this way. *Chibi Angel wags her finger admonishingly at  
Angel* An----gel! What have I told you about--*Angel sweatdropz and, picking C-A up,   
clamps a hand over her lil mouth, giggling sheepishly.* Heh...*C-A squirms and bites Angel's  
hand, who screamz and drops her* Chibi ANGEL!!! *jumps around, holding her hand*  
  
Yes, I know! I'll lose my readers! You'll cry! All night! *Passes out*  
  
C-A: ?_!6 Umm.. *Starts inching towards the door* Shh, evwyone...You didn't see anfwing,  
wight? *Makes it to the door and starts to run. Angel wakes up and starts screaming*   
CHIBI ANGEL!!! YOU GET BACK HERE, RIGHT NOW! I HAVE A HUUUUUGE BUMP ON  
MY HEAD, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU! COME BACK HERE, CHEEBZ! URGH, THAT'S  
*IT*! I'M CHANGING YOUR NAME TO CHIBI-AKUMA!!!!!!!!!!! 


	24. This I Promise You (P-2)

Back! Nothing to say today...Enjoy... *Chibi Angel nods, subdued for once. Then again, she  
picks up on Angel's moods...Noted.*  
  
Runaway  
Chapter Twenty-Three  
This I Promise You (Part Two)  
  
Darien watched in dismay as Serena ran onto the airplane. He felt helpless--which he hated--  
and his dispair was mixing with the frantic hysteria of Serena's friends, who were all hanging  
on his arm and sobbing for him to go get her.  
  
"What can I do?" He snapped, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions surrounding him. He  
was drowning in it, with no one to rescue him now that his soulmate was leaving again.   
  
*I did this to her.* Darien realized, a sharp pain tugging at him as his heart broke in two. *If  
I hadn't listened to those STUPID dreams...If I had only risked it...*  
  
He thought about the year she'd been gone, the ache in his chest tearing him apart. It had  
been awful, so awful...  
  
Feeling a sudden crushing urge of determination, he tore his arm from everyone's grasps   
and ran to the plane's entrance. Ignoring the shriek of protest from the others in line, already  
testy from Serena's hesitation, he shoved his way through the crowd and ran aboard. That   
hesistation alone was worth a second try. When the ticket-taker tried to stop him, he threw   
a $50 dollar bill at the man and continued running. Finally, he found his way to the section   
Serena was sitting at and, panting, stood at the front of the area. Interested in what a hot  
young man was doing hovering at the front of their perimeter, the passengers began to nudge  
each other and whisper. Finally, Darien caught his breath...  
  
  
HA!!! Can you believe the chapters over?! Can you believe I did that? DON'T YOU JUST   
HATE ME?! *gigglez obscenely*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
J/K! On with the story...*Evil giggle*  
  
  
  
Somewhere down the aisle, Serena was sinking far down into her seat, groaning, and wishing  
she could crawl into a Moon-Crater and die. (AN: Heh...Thought it was cute.)  
  
It seemed like Darien's voice was growing louder. "Bunny..." Around them, people watched  
with amusement and curiousity. Darien's deep tones grew closer. "Bunny?" Oh, damn! Could  
he be getting closer?  
  
A tiny peek out of the blanket she'd covered her face with confirmed it. Darien was standing  
over her, his face laughing but his pained, clouded eyes betrayed him. Pulling the blanket  
the rest of the way from her face, Darien smiled sweetly at her and announced to the section  
of passengers, "This is my destined soul mate and I love her with all of my heart. Her name  
is Serena--I call her Bunny--isn't she gorgeous?" Serena turned bright pink as everyone  
laughed and nodded with agreement. No one could deny the two made a stunning couple.  
  
"I made a stupid mistake," Darien continued. His voice still adressed their audience, but his  
eyes were trained on Serena and glued to her blushing face. "And for some reason I let her  
go. But...I can't do that again; it hurts too much." Somewhere, a woman sniffled and blew her  
nose. "I'm gonna love her forever and ever and ever, from today till tomorrow, through sickness  
and health, and hopefully through marriage and babies. My love for her could shake the Earth  
and rock the Moon to the core. Please, Bunny--God, please...Don't ~*Runaway*~ again."  
  
Serena's bright moonlight-blue eyes were shiny with tears, taking on a bluish-green sheen,  
and all she could do was let out a sob through as she nodded her head. A smile crossed her  
face through the crystals streaming down her face and she stood up and stepped directly  
into Darien's arms. Around them, everyone applauded and cheered, not to mention the   
several woman who started bawling with happiness for the reunited couple. As she stood  
from her seat, the natural clumsiness Serena fought shone through and she literally fell into  
the arms of her destiny. An indignant shout came from the front of the plane, and as he and  
she looked up, they saw 9 offended Scouts fighting with the huge security guards that held  
them captive.   
  
"LET US THROUGH!" Raye screamed, her fiery temper shining through, as did Serena's  
klutziness. "WE JUST WANNA SEE OUR DAMNED FRIEND WHO'S TRYING TO LEAVE  
US FOREVER, YOU BIG F***ING IDIOT!!!!!! DAMN IT, *LET US THROUGH!*" In spite of  
herself, Serena smiled. Everything was going to be fine.  
  
~Sure, Sere, everything's gonna be great. Until the sequel, that is. *gigglez evilly* stay tuned  
for the epilogue. That's all, folks! *Chibi-Angel gigglez too, and echoes.* 'As aww, fokesi!"  



	25. A Happy Ending After All

Runaway  
Epilogue  
A Happy Ending After All  
  
  
  
"Serena…" Darien hugged his girlfriend closer and dropped a kiss on her forehead. They   
were sitting on the couch in his apartment, watching a movie, and she was leaning her   
head against his chest. *Mmm,* he sighed blissfully to himself. *I've died and gone to   
Heaven, and I've got the angel to prove it.*  
  
Serena tilted her head back and pouted her lips ever so slightly, somehow managing to   
keep a serene, angelic smile on her face at the same time.  
  
"Yes, Darien?" she asked, her voice low and sweet.  
  
Darien couldn't help grinning down at her solemn sweetness. "Never mind, Bunny," he   
sighed wistfully, leaning back against the couch. Serena snuggled closer to him and rested   
her head on his shoulder, and Darien felt more than ever that he was visiting the heavenly   
bodies.  
  
*Speaking of heavenly bodies…* Darien grinned devilishly and trailed a gentle finger down   
Serena's arm, chuckling as she shuddered slightly. They paused for a kiss, then returned   
their attention to the end of the movie. It was called *Runaway*, and it was about a girl who   
had a fight with her friends and boyfriend and ran away to New York. Once there, the girl   
cut and dyed her hair and assumed a new identity, until her boyfriend's job transferred him   
to New York, at which point he set about winning her over again. Sadly, the girl got cancer   
and was going to die, until her magical mother returned and took the disease away.   
  
(AN: LoL! ^_~)  
  
Ten minutes later, crystalline tears were building up in Serena's moonlight-blue eyes.  
  
"That was soooooo good!" she sobbed, flinging herself into Darien's arms. He smiled and   
stroked her longish, newly re-blonde hair.  
  
  
Hey, Bun, it's okay," he drawled. "It was a happy ending after all, right?"  
  
When Serena raised her face, it was tearstained, but her eyes were sparkling   
with happiness. "Yes, Darien," she said, her blue orbs shimmering with love. "It's a happy   
ending after all."  
  
THE END!!!  
  
When I wrote this, I was practically bawling since Runaway's over. It was really funny, 'cuz I  
was in the middle of class—we were watching a science movie—and my teacher just   
couldn't figure out why I was crying over 'Natural Disasters—The Revolution' or something   
like that. This loser who likes me was all, "Don't cry, don't cry! I can't stand to see girls cry!"   
Then my friend leaned over and whispered really loudly, "I guess he avoids mirrors when   
he's crying, then!" Then everybody starting laughing and I stopped with the waterworks.  
  
Well…I need a title for the sequel. If you review with your email *in* the review (Hi, my name   
is Angel, blah, blah, blah… non_existant@hotmail.com), I'll write you back and tell you some   
of what will happen in it, and you can give me an idea for the title.  
  
Just now, I thought of something and I think I'm gonna use it.  
  
So watch for 'Goodbye, Serena', and that'll be the sequel. If I change my mind on that—  
which is unlikely—It'll say 'Sequel to Runaway' somewhere in the summary.  
  
And please, you guys, review. I only need 44 reviews to 300, and that'd be a hell of a way   
to go out with a 'Tscha!' (I don't like the 'Bang' expression. -_-6) Please, guys, I'm begging   
you...  
  
I love you guys. *Starts crying again since Runaway's over. Chibi Angel bawls beside her.*  



	26. ATTENTION! Important notice!! Please rea...

Runaway  
ATTENTION! IMPORTANT NOTICE!  
  
  
Hey, everyone! The sequel to Runaway has been started!!! YES! (I'm so happy. ^_^)  
  
It's called 'Goodbye, Serena'. PLEASE watch for it, and PLEASE go read! Here's a preview  
to make you wanna. ^_^6 Shameless, yes... But who cares?  
  
"You're definitely pretty enough," Ivy said, thoughtfully. "In fact, I think you could really be a   
model. Except…"  
  
"Except what?" I asked, my stomach twisting with nervousness mixed with excitement.   
  
She eyed me, her incredible green orbs politely critical. "You're not fat, Serena," She   
assured me in her British drawl, that emerald gaze penetrating my soul. "It's just… I really   
think you have what it takes to be a model. All you need to do is lose a little weight…" 


End file.
